Partnership between AMRC Cymru, Mentor Mon and ORE Catapult takes share of £1m funding from Welsh government through VInnovate programme
Earlier this month, the Welsh government announced £2m funding to test improved renewable energy projects in real sea conditions at the Morlais tidal site off Ynys Mon in Anglesey. Now there’s more good news for the sector as a project to develop the next generation of tidal stream wind turbines receives its own government support.
Image courtesy of Welsh government
This project will see the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru, which is based in Broughton, partner with both Menter Mon and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s Welsh team to improve the efficiency, durability and overall performance of the tidal blades for generating green energy.
Two Galician firms are also involved: marine renewable energy infrastructure manufacturer Magallanes Renovables and research organisation D3 Applied Technologies, which specialises in aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.
The project is one of five to share £1m from the Welsh government through the VInnovate programme, run by the Brussels-based Vanguard Initiative (VI) and aimed at promoting collaborative innovation across industrial regions in Europe, with a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In the 2024 Vinnovate tranche, projects based in Wales received more funding than did any other region.
Welsh SMEs and organisations are now invited to apply for VInnovate 2025 funding.
Andy Silcox, Interim Chief Technology Officer at the AMRC, says: ‘Wales is already recognised as a trailblazer in the establishment of tidal energy sites, and a hub for cutting-edge marine energy research, contributing its extensive knowledge and experience.
‘This collaboration between AMRC Cymru, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Menter Mon will create a strategic partnership among the regions of Wales and Galicia, bringing together a unique blend of expertise and innovation in the field of renewable energy.
‘Supporting the design and development of the newest tidal turbine blades, the project will lay the groundwork for a lasting collaboration, driving future innovations and projects in renewable energy to contribute to a more sustainable energy landscape.’
Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, adds: ‘Wales’s research and development sector is internationally renowned, with academia, industry and government working together to deliver big leaps in renewable energy innovation in particular.
‘This culture of innovation has been championed and guided by our Wales Innovates strategy, laying the foundations for a green and prosperous future for Wales driven by collaborative innovation and new technologies that can have a real and lasting positive impact on every part of our society. I encourage organisations to seize the opportunities presented by programmes such as this to think big, collaborate internationally and further strengthen our innovation ecosystem and advanced manufacturing capabilities.’
In related news:
Mobile mast upgrade in rural sites including Lake District and Snowdonia
Cyngor Gwynedd and Betsi Cadwaladr University launch Lilli AI
Leave a Reply