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12.7.10

£10 million in grants to develop offshore wind technology

The Department of Energy and Climate Change. has announced £10 million will be given in grants to develop offshore wind technology
£5 million  will be awarded to 7 UK companies and aim to increase the UK supply chain for offshore wind.
A spokesperson for Converteam , one of the 7 companies , who will receive £1,000,000 said:
"I am pleased at the announcement of DECC’s support to Converteam, the UK's largest exporter to the Wind Industry, in building a full scale test and technology demonstration stand for game changing British wind power generation technology, at their Northern European Headquarters in Rugby, Warwickshire. In a four stage programme, Converteam will take their 'DC Architecture' through rigorous factory, onshore and offshore tests, to be proven in time for the start of The Crown Estate Round Three deployment phase.
For a given investment, by producing and delivering more electricity, this targets the electrical components of making offshore wind power cost competitive with onshore wind"
The Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust said of the 7 companies that have been awarded grants
"These businesses are great examples of an emerging supply chain which is set to grow into a world leader if it continues to get the right support to continue to develop novel technology solutions to grasp the sizeable opportunities in this emerging sector.”
Source Wind Power Generation News from the Carbon Trust and decc.gov.uk