The UK’s race to decarbonise the maritime sector has been given another vital boost, with £60 million in government funding distributed to innovative companies nationwide developing futuristic green technology.
For the first time, the UK government is funding the development of new clean maritime technology across a 2-year period. Companies in 12 regions around the UK, including 2 businesses in the North East of Scotland, will benefit from the cash, generating highly skilled jobs across the nation and positioning the UK as a world leader in green solutions.
Andrew is delighted that local energy business Jebb Smith Ltd has been awarded £1,534,870 for their High Power Electric Offshore Charging Demonstrator.
This project will install a novel power buoy in the European Offshore Wind Demonstration Centre (EOWDC) in Orkney. This will be electrically supplied from a power supply mounted on an adjacent wind turbine and a Crew Transfer Vessel will then operate from Port of Aberdeen to the EOWDC, carry out it's duties, plug in and re-charge in field, before heading back to harbour. This project will install a novel power buoy in the European Offshore Wind Demonstration Centre (EOWDC) in Orkney. The buoy will be supplied with a power from a nearby wind turbine and then used to re-charge electric Crew Transfer Vessels operating between the Port of Aberdeen and the EOWDC
Andrew said:
“This is a fantastic project and I’m delighted that the UK Government have awarded over one and a half million pound to fund it. The North East of Scotland has been the leader in energy for decades and will now be a world leader in transition to Net Zero.”
The funding comes from the third round of the government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC3), which focuses on developing a range of clean maritime technologies including hydrogen, ammonia, electric and wind power.
During the 2-year investment period, successful companies will be required to demonstrate that their projects will work in the real world, helping them to progress towards becoming an everyday reality.
A second North East company, Acua Ocean Ltd, based in Aberdeen have also been awarded funding totalling £3,837,335 for their Hydrogen Innovation - Future Infrastructure & Vessel Evaluation and Demonstration.
The HI-FIVED project delivers a combined demonstration of Unitrove's shoreside mobile hydrogen bunkering station and ACUA Oceans zero-emission hydrogen-powered Small Waterplane Twin Hull (SWATH) vessel. The project will demonstrate the benefits of green short-sea shipping by delivering a 4-5 ton payload of cargo by sea from Port of Aberdeen to Orkney and The Shetland Islands. The project will demonstrate ACUA Oceans novel SWATH design and its zero-emission technology in a variety of sea-states and weather conditions as well as the increased endurance, stability and reliability. This project will combine demonstrations of a shoreside mobile hydrogen bunkering station and a zero-emission hydrogen-powered vessel, between the Port of Aberdeen to Orkney and The Shetland Islands.
Andrew added:
“I am proud of our record on green energy: the UK was the first G7 economy to legislate on net zero and the Ten Point Plan paves the way for a green industrial revolution. The Government's Net Zero Strategy outlines how our economy can be cleaner, greener and more innovative, and how we can build a secure, home-grown energy sector which ends our reliance on foreign gas. This latest UK Government funding to assist the maritime sector shows once again how serious we are about delivering this.”
The CMDC is one of the many initiatives from UK SHORE to fund green technology. Last week the government launched the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition to support projects in the latter stages of development, and the Clean Maritime Research Hub – aimed at the early science and research behind green technology.
