ORE Catapult boosts UK offshore wind

The facility, funded by the North East Combined Authority, will provide a high voltage electrical test environment for pre-qualification testing of offshore wind cable systems.

“This development ensures our Blyth facility remains at the cutting edge of testing, enabling the rapid growth of offshore wind technology,” explained Alex Neumann, ORE Catapult’s chief engineer in HV Electrical.

“By linking this new facility with our existing high voltage, mechanical and materials labs, we can help designers and manufacturers develop products faster and strengthen the UK supply chain.”

The new testing rig will apply extreme voltages and currents to cables, simulating stresses beyond operational levels in real-world conditions. It will allow cables to be tested under varied scenarios, including buried, ducted or submerged in saltwater.

Currently, such testing can take up to two years, and no comparable facility exists in the UK. The new development is expected to accelerate nationwide cable production, reduce time to market for new technologies and improve system reliability.

James Young, chief strategy and compliance officer at JDR Cable Systems, which will be the first user of the facility, said: “It’s a milestone for the UK offshore wind sector, enabling faster development and qualification of advanced cable technologies that will power the industry’s next phase of growth.”

The development of next-generation offshore wind cable technology represents a £19 billion market opportunity for the UK over the next decade.

North East England already hosts more than 550 renewable energy businesses employing around 17,000 people, a figure projected to rise to 24,000 by 2035.