Launch Academy is ORE Catapult’s national flagship technology accelerator programme, designed to enhance the UK’s offshore wind supply chain and support cost reduction by advancing innovative solutions to real industry problems. Equinor are working with Launch Academy, developing solutions to challenges facing the emerging floating offshore wind industry in the Celtic Sea. Tugdock has been selected to work with Equinor on the pioneering Launch Academy programme, as their patented marine buoyancy bag technology meets a significant infrastructure challenge for the floating offshore wind industry.
Floating offshore wind farms are located in deeper waters much further offshore than fixed wind turbines. This gives them access to higher winds which generate more power. The Celtic Sea has been identified as one of the best locations for floating offshore wind in Europe, with 4GW of floating offshore wind capacity targeted by 2035 and 20GW more anticipated by 2045.
