Following a competitive tender, The Scottish Government has awarded the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) a contract to explore opportunities for floating offshore wind and hydrogen supply chains in Scotland and France.

EMEC will partner with French engineering firm INNOSEA and London-based Renewables Consulting Group (RCG) to carry out research to understand the technical status of floating wind and hydrogen in Scotland and France and identify ways that collaboration can be encouraged to address challenges of mutual interest.

Floating wind and hydrogen technologies are central to energy decarbonisation strategies in both countries and internationally, collaborative research and development activity can identify new engineering solutions to increase the competitiveness of these technologies.

Towards this aim, the project consortium will evaluate the technical status of the floating wind and hydrogen production components and systems under development, accounting for the impacts of the policy context and innovation programme landscape in the two nations.

The consortium is also tasked with engaging directly with floating wind and hydrogen supply chain companies to seek feedback on existing collaboration successes as well as identify opportunities to facilitate further joined up thinking and cross-border activity.

This spring, the consortium will hold four virtual reflective workshops with French and Scottish industry stakeholders to understand their experiences of international collaboration as well as gather feedback on how future Franco-Scottish collaborative activities can be best supported.

The consortium is especially keen to hear from equipment manufacturers (OEMs), installers, project developers, project designers, trade associations and regional development agencies. Interested parties are encouraged to contact EMEC’s Hydrogen Development Manager, Dr James Walker (james.walker@emec.org.uk), to state their interest in being involved.

The findings of this project will be published in a final report in summer 2021 ahead of COP26 which is set to take place in Glasgow in November 2021.

Paul Wheelhouse, Scotland’s Energy Minister said:
“Scotland’s Energy Strategy recognises the importance of working with international partners to better understand our transition to a net zero economy and energy system. In the run-up to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference (COP26) in Glasgow later this year, we have an opportunity to increase public awareness around the climate emergency we all face.

“This project, which sees collaboration between Scotland and our friends in France, is in line with our international energy engagement priorities for both hydrogen and offshore wind and will help to support our efforts to develop new renewable energy solutions. I very much look forward to seeing its outcomes and to utilising its findings to inform further evolution of our energy policy as we ramp up our ambition and seek to harness exciting new opportunities as we expand offshore wind in Scotland.”

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)