Our National Renewable Energy Centre is an integral part of the UK’s national infrastructure for offshore renewable energy. By working with key partners, we can leverage our unique, specialist position to attract inward investment from major industry players, as well as develop the export potential of homegrown technology that has been tested and proven at the Centre.
Testing and Validation Centre of Excellence (ORE Catapult)
The National Renewable Energy Catapult is investing in critical areas of disruptive innovation. Innovation has been at the heart of the impressive cost reductions the offshore wind sector has experienced over the past decade. In doing so, it has established four Centres of Excellence throughout the UK.
The Testing & Validation centre is located at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in Blyth, Northumberland. The ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy.
It is a concentration of leading expertise and infrastructure dedicated to the acceleration of new and innovative offshore renewable energy technology in order to drive down the cost of energy. Equipped to provide extensive test and validation services and support to the full breadth of industry – including owner/operators, equipment manufacturers, the supply chain and academia – it is a catalyst for collaboration, advancing technology readiness, commercialisation and growth.
There are highly experienced teams of technical researchers, test engineers and technology specialists. They deliver test, validation and applied research services across a broad spectrum of innovation challenges; from developing early-stage technology with small businesses, to full-scale certification testing vital in achieving commercialisation. Comprising a wealth of capability, the Centre is designed to address and overcome the industry’s key challenges across major technology areas, including: