Crown Estate Scotland is awarding £500,000 for the development of the local offshore wind market.
The funds comprise £300,000 for Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) projects and £200,000 for environmental research.
The awarding of SOWEC funding will be linked to criteria which include aligning with the goals of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal , Crown Estate Scotland’s corporate objectives and/or the Supply Chain Development aspect of the ScotWind Leasing process.
Proposals for this funding must demonstrate an increased opportunity for collaboration with other industries or sectors, particularly those linked to energy transition, blue economy, or net zero , as well as a likely positive impact on increased development of offshore wind in Scotland.
Additionally, Crown Estate Scotland is co-funding five research projects with Marine Scotland to better the understanding of the potential environmental impacts of offshore wind projects on birds and marine mammals.
These studies will focus on improving the evidence base and developing assessment methodologies to support robust decision-making for the next generation of projects.
“Having already launched a leasing round set to attract up to £8bn in investment, we are today going even further and providing direct support for initiatives which will improve understanding and capability of how to secure the sustainable growth of the sector,” said Colin Palmer , Director of Marine for Crown Estate Scotland.