In a joint effort, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) have launched the INTOG Innovation Network. The goal of this network is to maximize the impact of commercial, pilot scale, innovative, floating wind projects through the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing process. The INTOG leasing round is managed by Crown Estate Scotland and is focused on using floating offshore wind to reduce emissions from oil and gas production while also developing agreements for commercial pilot scale innovation projects.
The INTOG leasing round has granted exclusivity agreements to five projects, which the Innovation Network will specifically target. The network aims to facilitate research, development, and engagement scopes for these projects in order to advance industry knowledge about overcoming challenges and maximizing the potential of new floating wind technology. Andy Macdonald, Director of Development and Operations at ORE Catapult, emphasized the importance of these projects in advancing the industry’s knowledge.
The main priorities of the INTOG Innovation Network include building collaborative relationships between projects, identifying common innovation and technology challenges, sharing lessons learned to inform future projects and the broader floating wind industry, and exploring opportunities to test and demonstrate technologies to increase readiness levels and de-risk technologies for deployment. By focusing on these key areas, the network aims to drive innovation and progress in the floating wind sector.
