The funds will target marine renewable projects over the next two years aiming to assist the industry in innovation and commercialisation, as well as supporting the development of the local supply chain.
Newly funded projects include:
Offshore Renewables Delivery Programme (ORDP) is a £360,000 partnership, between Cornwall Council and Plymouth University, and managed by Cornwall Development Company. The funding includes a £50,000 investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership’s Regional Growth Fund. It will create a marine renewables focused programme looking to de-risk and better resource the development pathway to commercialisation for developers.
Channel MOR project – A £103,895 project secured by Cornwall Marine Network via the Interreg IVA Programme (England-France) and funded by the European Regional Development Fund aiming to research, coordinate and grow supply chain and marketing opportunities for the marine renewables sectors of France and Cornwall. This project will initially provide a temporary full time coordinator for the Marine Offshore Renewables (MOR) Group which is based in Cornwall and covers the South West, and lead the development of the Channel MOR Group working with its French counterparts.
ESF Skills Support for the Workforce – A £72,000 project secured by Cornwall Marine Network which aims to carry out research to map the skills gaps, capacity and future requirements of the growing marine renewable energy sector in Cornwall.
Chris Pomfret, chairman of the Cornwall Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership said: “Marine renewable energy is a global market opportunity for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and this latest suite of investments will support the sector’s growth ambitions and build on the considerable assets we already have in the region.
“Our aim is to smooth the path to commercialisation for marine renewable energy developers and ensure that we maintain a significant competitive advantage in a sector that has enormous potential for our region.”