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A new report from NSRI (National Subsea Research Initiative) has identified Operations & maintenance (O&M) – particularly inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) activities – as the highest potential area for subsea companies to diversify into offshore wind.

Titled ‘Subsea Technological Challenges in Offshore Wind’, the report highlights opportunities the offshore wind industry holds for UK subsea companies, with a technology roadmap outlining the way ahead with industry-driven objectives.

2016 12 20 194742With global offshore wind expenditure forecast to reach £210billion over the next ten years, NSRI and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult joined forces in a bid to encourage diversification. The two organisations hosted an event in October to provide advice and support on market entry requirements, diversification strategies and the associated challenges.

The event also welcomed companies with experience in the offshore wind industry to provide an insight into the market challenges and barriers. These included a need to prove cost competitiveness or reduction and a proactive, innovative approach that does not dictate other industry methods.

Around 40 percent of the typical lifecycle costs of offshore wind farm developments come from O&M requirements. Based on UK Government projections for offshore wind deployment, the O&M costs for more than 5,500 turbines could be worth £2billion per annum by 2025.

Given the UK industry’s existing IRM capability, companies could break into the offshore wind market by offering individual services such as automated inspection, cable scour inspection, condition monitoring, remote monitoring, increased turbine access and risk based inspection. In time, these services could be bundled to deliver a full life-of-field offering. It’s also believed that diverless solutions will be of growing interest as offshore wind developments move further offshore into deeper waters.

The ideas generated from the workshop have allowed NSRI to create a technology roadmap. These ideas have been grouped using an adopt, adapt, develop and collaborate principle, setting out the short, medium and long term activities that will help progress the development of subsea technology for widespread use in the offshore wind sector. The report also highlights opportunities for operators, developers, academia and the wider industry to work together to break down barriers and bring about positive change.

Commenting on the report, Dr Gordon Drummond, project director of NSRI said: “Offshore renewables is a growing market which presents exciting new business opportunities for the UK supply chain. While fossil fuels are expected to continue dominating the global energy supply mix, renewables are taking off at an incredible rate. There are some natural synergies between the sectors, which provide a real advantage for subsea companies looking to expand their presence in multiple energy markets.

“The offshore wind industry is focused on innovating to reduce costs, giving subsea companies the chance to introduce new technology and products to the industry. Diversifying into renewables provides greater resilience for companies and those who take an early lead will reap the benefits.

“The return on investment for renewable projects can be achieved significantly quicker than those in the oil and gas sector, representing a natural, highly profitable diversification strategy. We hope this report, along with the technology roadmaps will help guide companies through the steps required to break into the offshore wind industry, highlighting the entry routes and the opportunities most accessible to the UK supply chain.”

Jamie McCallum, project engineer at NSRI, has been heavily involved in exploring the opportunities in offshore renewables for UK supply chain companies.

He said: “Companies experienced in ROV operations, subsea construction and IRM need to jump into action and adapt their offerings now if they are to meet the needs of the sector and drive long-term growth. The largest opportunity for the UK subsea supply chain is operations and maintenance. Europe is most definitely leading the way in offshore wind. However, China, Japan and the USA are growing markets, which present a host of opportunities for UK firms over the next five to 10 years.”

About NSRI:

As the technology arm of Subsea UK, NSRI explores where the industry is heading in terms of subsea infrastructure and identifies the technologies needed to help it get there, supporting field development and expansion in both deep and shallow waters. http://www.nsri.co.uk/

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Subsea Companies to Explore Offshore Renewables at Industry Event

With global offshore wind expenditure expected to reach £210 billion over the next ten years, Subsea UK is encouraging companies to expand into the renewables sector to sustain long-term growth.

subsea logoThe industry body, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, will be running an event on 2nd August to examine why harnessing a range of renewable resources is essential if the industry is to ensure security and longevity of the UK’s energy supply.

The event will explore the opportunities in offshore wind, as well as provide practical help and advice on market entry in a bid to reduce dependency on the cyclical oil and gas industry.

Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK, said: “While oil and gas remains the dominant energy industry in the UK, companies are quickly beginning to realise the vital role that offshore renewables will play in the future energy mix.

“Offshore wind is a growing market which presents exciting new business opportunities for the UK supply chain. This event, along with a number of ongoing initiatives are intended to help companies realise these opportunities and help them mitigate some of the challenges they are currently facing as a result of the lower for longer oil price.

“Providing a platform for the industry to come together and collaborate is essential in order to drive the prolonged life of developments both in the UK and further afield. If we can help companies to access the offshore wind market ahead of the predicted £210billion global deployment boom, exporting their wealth of skills, innovation and experience, the rewards will be huge.”

Scottish Enterprise recently launched a ‘Seize the Opportunity’ report to help guide companies though the steps required to break into the offshore wind industry, highlighting the entry routes, most promising regions and the opportunities most accessible to the UK supply chain.

Seonaid Vass, director of renewable energy and low carbon technologies at Scottish Enterprise said: “Scotland and the rest of the UK, together with Germany and Denmark are currently at the forefront of offshore wind development, accounting for around 90% of global offshore wind deployment to date. These countries along with the Netherlands and Belgium are forecast to build approximately 25GW of offshore wind by the end of the decade, worth an estimated £60 billion in capital and operational expenditure over the next five years.

“With a realisation that cost reduction will be critical to achieving these forecasts and maintaining offshore wind’s growth in the longer-term, incorporating best practice from other sectors will be key.

“There are already many firms from an oil and gas background that are now successfully operating within the offshore wind space, proving that cross-sector expertise is of great value to the growing renewables market.

“Subsea companies can support the development of the offshore renewables sector in a number of ways, from project management and installation support to maintenance and inspection services.”

The event will take place on Tuesday 2nd August at Village Hotel, Prime Four, Kingswells, Aberdeen. Those wishing to attend can book their place online via http://www.subseauk.com/7489/subsea-uk-scottish-enterprise-lunch-and-learn.

As a self-sustaining body, Subsea UK represents over 300 members and acts as a focal point to promote the sector and maximise its opportunities, providing a national forum for collaboration, diversification and technology development.

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