Robotics centre opens for offshore renewables

The DARE Centre in Blyth
The DARE Centre in Blyth

The Digital, Autonomous and Robotics Engineering (DARE) Centre at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s testing facility in Blyth has been opened by minister for energy security and net zero, the Rt Hon. Graham Stuart MP.

The £3m state-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind in the UK. It will provide an ideal opportunity for developers, researchers and wider industry to test, demonstrate and commercialise innovative digital and robotic products and services for the offshore renewable energy market.

As offshore wind in the UK gets ready to triple capacity over the next decade, the adoption of robotics and autonomous systems is vital to achieving this rapid expansion and reaching Net Zero. These technologies play an increasingly important role in the offshore renewable energy sector.

Graham Stuart, minister of state for energy security and net zero, said: “I’m delighted to open the UK’s national robotics centre for offshore wind. Drones, robots and underwater vehicles can reinforce the UK’s position as the world leader in offshore wind, make us even more competitive, and keep turbines turning in even the most hazardous of conditions.

“The robotics centre will increase the safety and productivity of our highly skilled offshore wind technicians, lower costs, and contribute both to lower consumer bills and the nation’s energy security.”

Technology tested at the DARE Centre will support the expansion of the offshore wind market and turbocharge the success of services and digital infrastructure surrounding the industry.

Andrew Jamieson, chief executive at ORE Catapult, added: “This is a fantastic facility that will help the UK stay at the forefront of innovation in robotics, AI and digital solutions to support the growth of offshore renewables.

“The UK has a global reputation for its sub-ocean engineering expertise and ingenuity. Innovation we can unlock here will allow those at the cutting edge of offshore wind development to work faster and safer, optimise specialist skills, improve reliability, and reduce the carbon footprint of the next generation of offshore wind farms.”

The DARE Centre includes a robotics assembly bay, an airborne robotics test zone, three dry docks with 20,000m³ capacity and test control rooms linked to the docks via a live environment monitoring system. The centre is the latest part of ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth, which offers a wide range of test and validation facilities, including market-leading wind turbine testing and an offshore demonstration zone.

Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult

https://ore.catapult.org.uk

 

Company

ORE Catapult

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