Leading Research and Innovation
The North East of England has always been known for cutting edge innovation in marine engineering and offshore energy. It is leading the world in developing innovative solutions to overcome the issues when exploiting new oil, gas and offshore wind resources in more challenging environments.
Particular strengths lie in the development of new technology in subsea engineering in areas such as new cables, umbilicals, flexible pipes, ROVs, subsea ploughs and tractors.
In-house innovation and R+D is flourishing in companies such as Baker Hughes, Technip FMC, Bel Valves, SMD, Osbit and Royal IHC. These and others also make use of the world-leading R+D and testing assets located in Energy Gateway North East England. These include:
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE)
The UK’s flagship renewable energy technology innovation and research centre is a unique facility, located at Blyth, which offers the most comprehensive open access and independent test and research facilities anywhere in the world.
- Wind turbine blade testing facilities which undertake structural testing of blades up to 100m in length (dynamic and static) in accordance with IEC and ISO standards.
- 3 MW and 15 MW power train testing facilities are capable of performing independent performance and reliability appraisals of full systems and components.
- The open access offshore anemometry platform is located in representative Round 3 conditions, 3 NM off Blyth, Northumberland.
- High Voltage (HV) electrical systems test and measurement suite (UKAS accredited).
- Open access shallow water testing facilities with an artificial seabed and two still water test tanks (up to 8m in depth). This controlled salt water environment is used in trials and demonstrations of new and innovative technologies
- Digital, Autonomous and Robotics Engineering Centre (DARE) is a centre of excellence for robotic innovations and is the first of its kind in the UK. The centre is accelerating the UK’s Smart O&M sector through collaboration with industry.
- Technology Development Centre (TDC), is a new facility which will provide testing, validation and demonstration capabilities for small and medium sized companies working on products and services for the offshore wind industry. The TDC will house a 1MW test rig, a mini electrical grid system where clients can test and certify the electrical compliance of their devices for any grid in the world, and a wind tunnel supplied by Northumbria University to study aerodynamics in offshore wind. It will support companies accelerating the advancement of power conversion systems, rotating components, and hardware in the loop testing for energy storage systems such as hydrogen and battery storage.
In 2024, UKRI announced it will provide £85.6m of capital funding for the ORE Catapult to expand and upgrade its testing facilities and enable the evolution of the next generation of wind turbines in the UK. The new facilities will enable faster product development of turbines through test, validation and certification
Tyne Pressure Testing
Tyne Pressure Testing brings together industry and academia to create a world-class national centre for offshore and subsea engineering research and testing. It is aimed at developing new technologies using the unique array of six hyperbaric chamber and environmental test facilities – capable of testing technologies and materials at temperatures and pressures equivalent to those found at the very deepest ocean depths – up to 6,000m.
Tyne Pressure Testing has two facilities:
- The first, at Killingworth, is Tyne Subsea’s hyperbaric test and certification centre with five hyperbaric chambers capable to testing down to simulated depths of 4,500m
- The second, at the Neptune Technology Park on the Tyne, is the Newcastle University research and testing facility which can test to 600 bar, equivalent of 6,000m depth.
Centre of Excellence for Marine Hydrodynamics, Coatings and Materials
Opened in 2016 by Newcastle University, the facility includes a newly refurbished Emerson Cavitation Tunnel. The cavitation tunnel is an experimental facility used to test propellers and turbine blades and is the only one of its kind in the UK.
Marine Testing Facility (Wet Dock) Swans Energy Park
The wet dock is supported by developed infrastructure heavy lifting capabilities. It measures 56 meters wide and 194 meters long with a half-tide 2.5m deep dock, suitable for construction projects, barge/ RoRo load-outs, lay by and marine testing.
Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub
The UK’s first Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub is located at Port of Tyne. An an exciting partnership with Port of Tyne, Drax, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC), Nissan, Connected Places Catapult, Accenture, Royal HaskoningDHV, Ubisoft and the Department for Transport. The 2050 Maritime Innovation Hub inspires partners to collaborate to develop solutions to technological challenges facing the maritime sector and the wider logistics industry both nationally and globally.
These first-class facilities are complemented by the world-renowned R&D expertise to be found at the North East’s five universities (Newcastle, Durham, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside). Particular strengths are found in the Durham Energy Institute and the School of Marine Science & Technology, Newcastle University.
Global Underwater Hub
The Global Underwater Hub represents the diverse range of businesses operating in the UK’s £8 billion underwater industry. We facilitate cross-collaboration and growth across the underwater industry, which comprises offshore energy, aquaculture, defence, telecoms and subsea minerals.