The institute will see three of Scotland's east coast universities come together in the aim of becoming a recognised global authority on the delivery and implementation of offshore renewable energy.
The Offshore Renewables Institute (ORI) is intended to offer consultancy, research, policy advice and professional development and will bring together experts from the University of Dundee, the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
The Institute will be based in Dundee, with Professor Paul Mitchell from the University of Aberdeen as the founding director.
Mr Mitchell said the new initiative would allow each group to work together towards a common goal. Discussing the reason behind the new partnership, he said: "The UK and Scottish Governments have set ambitious targets for 2020 for offshore wind deployment. This presents us with an array of challenges - and not only in terms of the improving technology.
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"We need to look at the environmental impact of such large developments, the legal issues, safety of course - and how we can increase efficiency and reduce costs over the lifetime of a project. We need a variety of experts around these problems, all working together to a common goal.
"We also require people with the skill sets to deliver this industry safely and efficiently in the challenging and hostile environment of the North Sea. That's an area where we have experience second-to-none, through three decades of producing the workforce for the oil and gas sector."
The Offshore Renewables Institute will focus specifically on deployment and implementation, rather than technology and equipment. The partnership has identified four main areas of expertise that are particularly relevant to the offshore renewables industry:
- Regulation, Law and Economics - including policy, regulation and finance
- Environment and Consents - covering environmental impact, long-term monitoring, and mitigation strategies
- Design, Fabrication and Installation - including foundations and substructures, geotechnics and access
- Asset Management, covering operations, safety and reliability, and training
(JP/CD)
