The UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has awarded GBP 5 million to a Supergen Energy hub which brings together the related research areas of wave, tidal and offshore wind in order to share skills, resources and expertise across the field of offshore renewable energy (ORE).
The ORE Supergen gathers a national consortium led by the University of Plymouth to bring together a network of academic, industrial and policy stakeholders to champion and maintain the UK’s expertise in ORE.
The hub will address any technical, environmental and interdisciplinary challenges which require a coordinated response at national and regional level.
It will build a collaborative approach which will bring the added benefits of spreading best practice through the research community, supporting equality and diversity, and ensuring support of early career researchers.
ORE Supergen will be led by Professor Deborah Greaves OBE, Head of the School of Engineering at the University of Plymouth, working alongside academics from the University of Aberdeen, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Hull, University of Manchester, University of Oxford, University of Southampton, University of Strathclyde, and the University of Warwick.
“Offshore renewables is an exciting and rapidly expanding field, and we expect it to play a significant role in providing energy for the UK and globally,” Professor Greaves said.
”The UK is already at the forefront of research in this area, and the ORE Supergen Hub will provide leadership for the scientific community and enable it to continue to build on that expertise. Our advisory board will help ensure we are also meeting the requirements and addressing the challenges being faced by industry.”