The Scottish government has announced a new stg£15m fund that will be used to help develop prototype foundations for deep-water offshore wind turbines.
Announcing the new fund yesterday, Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said that the Scottish Innovative Foundation Technologies Fund would be used to develop wind turbines that are sited in water depths greater than 30 metres.
“Scotland pioneered the world’s first deep-water offshore wind development and our innovation and offshore engineering expertise will play an increasingly important role as the industry moves to harness the wind further offshore – where both the energy resources and the technical challenges are greater,” said Ewing.
He added that the funding would help lower costs in developing the foundations needed for wind turbines in deeper water and more varied seabed conditions.
“It should also benefit Scottish companies through the supply chain, securing jobs and boosting our economic recovery,” said Ewing.
Maggie McGinlay, who heads up energy and clean technologies at Scottish Enterprise, said that the fund would make a “significant contribution” to helping reduce the costs of offshore wind and create an internationally renowned industry in Scotland.
“The innovation supported by this fund will act as a further catalyst for the industry in Scotland as we develop a renewables sector that competes on a global scale,” she said.
