Friday 23 October 2020

A new £3.5m offshore innovation programme has been launched today. The Technology, Innovation and Green Growth for Offshore Renewables (TIGGOR) programme is funded primarily by the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

The programme is targeting supply chain companies located in the North of Tyne area with opportunities to fund and support technology innovation in the offshore wind and subsea sectors.

The NTCA is funding the TIGGOR programme as part of its wider Energy, Green Growth and Climate Change commitments and have partnered with the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, who will deliver the programme on their behalf.

ORE Catapult will, in turn, partner with the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), who will part-fund and deliver a key strand of the programme.

The initiative has received major industry backing from Equinor, joint venture partner and future operator of Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the world’s largest offshore wind farm that will have its onshore base at Port of Tyne, and EDF Renewables, which owns and operates the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator wind farm.

Businesses joining the programme will be able to access either competitive technology demonstration funding support or business growth support, depending on their needs. The technology demonstration support will be led by ORE Catapult, alongside Equinor and EDF Renewables, to provide technology assessment, advice and potential funding in areas such as robotics and autonomous systems, digital twins and next generation technologies for improved operations and maintenance.

Support for supply chain business growth will be delivered by OWGP, with input from the North East LEP’s Growth Hub, for businesses both in the North of Tyne area and also across the North East region. This will provide specialist innovation advice, market intelligence and business planning for organisations operating in the offshore energy sectors and those looking to enter the market. Access to other supply chain programmes currently run by ORE Catapult will also be incorporated, including Fit 4 Offshore Renewables and Launch Academy.

Companies that would like to participate in the programme are being asked to register their interest

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