Five years ago, J+S Limited launched into the Marine Renewables industry. Their aim was to help customers capitalise on getting power and control information from energy conversion devices to shore, specifically in the harsh environments experienced by the offshore Wind, Wave & Tidal sectors.
Built on the success of their existing Defence and Oil and Gas businesses , J+S Marine Renewables is designed to reflect the unique blend of bespoke engineering, production and product expertise, based on a 50-year legacy as a successful British company, trading internationally.
Focus on that sector has paid off, with the business evolving into a key cornerstone of J+S overall, with new product and support solutions designed to help customers with the overall design, manufacture and installation process. With a specialist team covering both our Barnstaple and Aberdeen sites, alongside numerous deployments on and offshore, Marine Renewables has accrued an impressive tally of both customer deployments and industry accolades over the last five years:
Awarded in 2008, J+S’ contract with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) was the first Marine Renewables milestone. The summer of 2010 saw the installation of seven cable-end connectors and the additional use of two complete connectors to repair cables. Following this contract, J+S were given a joint award for ‘Most effective tidal energy projects development 2010’. The summer and winter of 2012 was a busy period for Marine Renewables having won contracts with both Wello and Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BIMEP). J+S carried out the design, manufacture and installation of four connectors for BIMEP in autumn 2013. Most recently, late last year, Voith Hydro installed at EMEC via a J+S connector.
With 11 drymate subsea cable connectors currently in the water, J+S are now the leading company in the UK for deploying connectors offshore with returning profit.
Robert Stevenson, CEO of Tidal Generation Ltd commented: “The successful generation of power through our Deep Gen III 500 Tidal Stream Turbine would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm of a wide group of companies and individuals dedicated to proving that harnessing energy from the tide is possible”. He continued with a special mention of J+S individuals.
General Manager, Marine Renewables, Chris Napier commented: “The marine renewables sector is a rapidly evolving industry but I believe wind, wave and tidal energy investments are on the verge of crossing a key threshold as technologies mature and new installations increase on a global scale. Five years down the line, it has been a success story for us and we look forward to the coming years – we have a great deal planned with ongoing investment in product development which will see J+S launching new products to support the Marine Renewables industry and improve electrical connectivity”.
Press Release, January 16, 2014; Image: J+S