Dundee University is to launch a new marine testing centre for renewable energy projects as it looks to provide an extra boost to development in Scotland.
The new £2million facility, which is being backed by European cash, will provide a third international testing facility in Scotland, alongside the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney and the Flowave tank at Edinburgh University.
The facility will also link up with the Offshore Renewables Institute partnership with Aberdeen University and Robert Gordon University, with £160,000 of European Regional Development Fund cash backing the project.
It will be operating from the autumn.
“Scotland is well placed to deliver offshore wind and marine renewables and meet its ambitious targets for 2020 but there are still some significant challenges to be addressed,” said Professor Rod Jones, Head of the new Centre.
“Although considerable progress has been made in developing and manufacturing turbines, the main challenges now lie in the design, commissioning and deployment of key structural components such as concrete foundations for offshore wind farms.
“We have world-leading expertise at Dundee in the development of concrete technology and the modelling of novel foundation solutions.
“This new Centre will build on that and be integral to the provision of, demonstration and certification of marine materials and structures, which are particularly needed by industry if we are to successfully deploy the systems required to exploit Scotland’s natural resources in wind and marine energy.”
The launch of the new centre was backed by Scottish energy minister Fergus Ewing. “The creation and launch of the Marine Renewables Test Centre located at the University of Dundee is a further demonstration of Scotland’s continued commitment to the development and future commercialisation of the marine renewables industry in Scotland,” he said.
Recommended for you
