Driving innovation and knowledge An introduction to the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Paul Ellsmore Academic / Cross-Catapult Manager March 20 th 2014 SUPERGEN Wind General Assembly 2014 Durham
Catapults: A long-term vision for innovation & growth 2 Established and overseen by the Technology Strategy Board Bridging the gap between business, academia, research and government Long-term investment to transform the UK s ability to create new products and services Open up global opportunities for the UK and generate sustained economic growth for the future Delivering the know-how economy 1.4bn private and public sector investment 7 Catapults
Why do we need Catapults? 3 UK research sector one of the top performers worldwide, but excellence fails to translate into business opportunities Technology & innovation centres proposed by entrepreneur Hermann Hauser in report for Government, March 2010 Proven European model Research Understanding the physics Technology Development & furthering of new ideas Industry Test & manufacture Current innovation & testing in UK Catapult s expertise extends UK s innovation deeper into early stage technology & research 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Basic principles observed Demonstration in laboratory environment Prototype demonstration in operational environment
UK s offshore renewable energy opportunity 4 UK at forefront of offshore wind and marine development Employment currently c4000 full time employees Highest ambitions in the world First-mover advantage will not last for long
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult 5 Our Vision: Abundant, affordable energy from offshore wind, wave and tide Building a centre of deep technical expertise Identification, development and commercialisation of innovative technology Driving collaboration between Government, industry and academia Market access for SMEs and other innovators Leveraged funding model (1:1:1)
Senior management team 6 Chairman Colin Hood CEO Andrew Jamieson Innovation & Technical Innovation Director TBC Programmes Director Chris Hill Strategy & Commercialisation Director Stephen Wyatt Developing deep technical expertise to meet ambitious programme Head of Communications Charles Thompson Influential Board with extensive industrial, academic, political and financial experience Business Services Director David Currie
Board 7 Andrew Jamieson CEO Colin Hood Chairman Rob Saunders Miriam Greenwood OBE Baroness Helen Liddell Alan Moore OBE Prof. Sir Jim McDonald
Extending the technology reach: Collaboration & Partnership 8 Industry Advisory Group Chair: SSE Responding to industry need Partnerships and strategic alliances
Extending the technology reach: Collaboration & Partnership 9 Research Advisory Group Chair: Edinburgh University Access to best research and facilities
The ORE Catapult has dual drivers: reducing the cost of energy and UK benefit 10
We are establishing a set of interlinked activities 11 Knowledge creation Strategic programmes Bespoke services SME offer Building our capability, scoping work and influencing the agenda Convening industry and delivering Innovation in the right areas Reacting to industry's individual requirements Helping SMEs commercialise faster Knowledge creation leading to new strategic projects Development of deep technical expertise valued by industry Using insights to guide SMEs and set the right challenges to innovators Reactive Remaining flexible and open minded
Success in a number of areas will be helped by expertise in Academia 12 Activity strand Academic involvement Benefits to academia Knowledge creation Building our capability, scoping work and influencing the agenda Contract and directed research projects with secondments/ fellowships into (and out) of ORE Catapult Mini - project funding, Ph.D sponsorship and longer term research funding. Strategic programmes Convening industry and delivering Innovation in the right areas Collaborative projects to include academic partners; ORE Catapult can increase industry exposure for research Bidding for research funding and access to industry and data Bespoke services Reacting to industry's individual requirements Academia directly contracted for specialist areas of research as needed Direct relationships with industry, commercial revenues
Success in a number of areas will be helped by expertise in Academia 13 Activity strand Academic involvement Benefits to academia SME offer Helping SMES commercialise faster Engagement with academia via SME expert s framework Commercialisation support for university spin-outs and licensing Reactive projects Remaining flexible and open minded Experts help to assess reactive projects Working with testing assets Management of strategic pieces of testing and R&D infrastructure Universities can register eligible assets and capabilities Industry research channelled towards academic facilities and capability
Academic Engagement: EU Opportunities 14 Principles guiding our approach to EU Funding: Developing our unique organisational capability Ensuring strategic relevance and value Clarity on costs and the related outputs / deliverables linked to LCOE and economic impact Generating income to deliver our products and services (increasing additionality and value) Developing smart partnerships and networks Emphasis on collaboration rather than competition
Academic Engagement: EU Opportunities 15 Potential offerings to bidding consortia (1 of 2): Expert capability and in-depth knowledge of the UK s wind, wave and tidal industries Extensive industry contacts and Knowledge of the UK supply chain Extensive research contacts Project management experience / expertise Dissemination of research and innovation project findings, including application of findings
Academic Engagement: EU Opportunities 16 Potential offerings to bidding consortia (2 of 2): SME support know-how Facilitating commercialisation of closer-to-market research Access to a range of test and demonstration infrastructure across the UK Access to world-class capability in resource modelling and off-shore operational experience LCOE and investment modelling capability / understanding of impact
Catapult Update: EU Opportunities 17 The new EU funding period (2014-20) provides opportunities to secure EU funding. To better co-ordinate and target resources on the development of Offshore Renewable Energy: Need awareness of proposals in development, especially where there are gaps or missing capabilities that Catapult could address have missing parts. With all projects we can work with you on dissemination as appropriate. Current opportunities we are progressing relate to : LCE-2-14 in areas such as wind farm control, innovative foundations and serial deployment of sub-structures Currently also developing project ideas in relation to forthcoming incl. INFRADEV1, LCE 2-15 and LCE 3-14 Also interested in ERA-NET Co-funds relating to Wind and Marine, and we are assessing other funding opportunities such as European Structural and Investment Funds We recognise importance of both participating in and leading consortiums
Some project focus areas currently being worked up include yield, cables and sensors 18 Area Knowledge creation Strategic programmes Yield Resource assessment: Using radar and satellite technologies for resource assessment. Use of forecasting through lifecycle. A combination of projects to look at improved understanding of resource and resource fluctuations: Yield: Gust monitoring: Thought leadership piece on: Deep array effects and atmospheric conditions (esp. above hub height) Blade tip distortion: non-intrusive blade defection monitoring. Improved free access to met office data - standardised forecasting techniques. Cables An investigation into pre-terminated cables to consider potential to speed up installation & reduce risks Cable test and evaluation: Installation and full load testing of connectors. Monitoring of cables, bend ratios, pretermination. Testing of damage induced cables. Real time monitoring of systems, j-tube connection, testing of cable arrays Thermal management of cables O&M: Sensors Sensors: Investigate scope and specification for a set of industry standard sensors Sensor kit for offshore renewables Development of a standardised set of sensors which are accepted in the industry. Long life sensors (esp retrofit) Verification of sensor performance SMEs may have a role in ruggedising sensor technology O&M: Wave and tidal Blades and towers: Feasibility study on blade and coating repairs from in situ habitat. Feasibility study into tower in-situ inspection and repair. Blade inspection and blade materials/manufacturing. Corrosion: Investigation into corrosion issues including in felid corrosion measurement and NDT Desk top review of yield models (under MFA) Back to back assessment of various tidal yield models, verified against test and deploy array(s) of devices at scale
UK Testing Landscape NAREC 19 All existing and proposed research and testing assets for ORE in the UK are being identified, to include information on technical capabilities, availability and any access conditions, costs of tests, use of equipment, external staff admittance and access to data via a web portal. A user-search function will identify specific test facilities in the UK, and provide contact details for those facilities. Facility owners will be incentivised to keep information on their assets current to attract new business. A report will also be produced, summarising the portfolio of research and testing assets for offshore renewables in the UK. There are over 400+ separate UK test facilities. Database on target for initial testing and release in early Apr-14.
We are exploring different approached to large scale UK test and demo to help group our large projects 20 The activities that are possible depend on the level of access to test turbines. Some scenarios are: Non-Intrusive activity Site requirement any offshore wind farm (including under warranty) Need to negotiate access to site with third party Data access likely to be restricted Example activities LIDAR validation, Operational data, Cable investigations
We are exploring different approached to large scale UK test and demo to help group our large projects 21 Intrusive activity Site requirement any offshore wind farm (probably postwarranty) Need to negotiate access to site with third party Data access may be restricted Example activities Minor component swap-out Monitoring & Data Performance & Loading, Design Iteration, Thermal stress Yield studies & loading Low-level jets, deep array effects, standard load monitoring tools
We are exploring different approached to large scale UK test and demo to help group our large projects 22 Full Control Site requirement Catapult has significant influence over turbine(s) Full access to data and physical access to turbine Example activities/interest areas Major component swap-out New materials Drive shafts, composite hubs, bed plates Turbine enhancement Advanced control, next generation generators Lessons learned from existing projects Load safety factors MetOcean and Geotech
We are exploring different approached to large scale UK test and demo to help group our large projects 23 Ground-up build Site requirement New site for 1 or 2 turbines, full control of development Full access to data and physical access to turbine Example activities/interest areas Integrated design, tower, foundation, installation Turbine innovations (high speed) Blade innovations Consenting Geotech, environmental End of life issues And much more
Costs We are exploring different approached to large scale UK test and demo to help group our large projects 24 100m+ Ground up build 20m Full control 5m Intrusive activity 2m Non-intrusive activity
Key to the success of this will be the Industry challenge statements through these we can target early stage innovation at the right challenges SME offer Building access to the UK s innovation SME community 25 Designing challenge statements Stimulate innovative ideas from SMEs Market & technology insights Working with leading companies to develop R&D challenges Challenge call-programme with public sector funding partners SME support to ensure development paths are credible with industry Stage-gate innovation support process Proposal validation (market, technology) Development & commercialisation planning Accelerate access to expertise, facilities, partners, customers Lever in funding and investment from public & private sectors The support process Innovation Challenges Stage 1 Support Initial Assessment Stage 2 Support Diagnostic & planning Stage 3 Support Project management
26 Innovation Challenge: Improved blade erosion prevention & repair solutions Blade erosion issue onshore and bigger offshore. Better understanding of failure mechanisms and predictive capabilities. Interest from developers, turbine OEMs, blade materials providers, blade repair providers. Locate or create test facilities, validate test methodologies (accelerated tests) Now scoping project and signing up interested parties, potential for industry-led R&D programme
27 Innovation Challenge: Blade Damage Monitoring Scoping and Definition Study High cost of monitoring & responding to blade damage offshore Low-cost, non-intrusive structural health monitoring ORE Catapult, (in future - university, developer, operator) Review of current applications and innovative opportunities Target completion May 2014
28 Innovation Challenge: Gust Monitor Construction and O&M safety and cost penalties Develop a reliable warning device for detecting gusts Working group ORE Catapult, Industry Reps, Academic Reps. BARD Offshore 1 Develop a solution based on customer requirements Feasibility study underway. View to commercialise a device in 2016
Where we are and next steps 29 Safely installed in new office Inovo, Glasgow We will be a team of 43 by end of March 2014 Permanent employees, secondees and contractors Another 33 new positions during 2014/15 business year Work with Industry and Research Advisory Groups to inform our Academic and EU engagement strategies Academic and EU engagement strategies to be signed of by our Board
Driving innovation and knowledge Thank you for your attention Paul Ellsmore Academic / Cross-Catapult Manager March 20 th 2014 SUPERGEN Wind General Assembly 2014 Durham