floating offshore wind farm
Research for future oceans
 
 
 
 
The Energy Innovation and Skills Generator is a programme of support for floating offshore wind (FLOW) project developers and their supply chains to stimulate innovation and skills in marine and offshore technologies, and to de-risk and optimise their operations:

Work with us

Start your collaboration by contacting us today. 
 
 
 
 
 

Innovation

Collaborate with us to gain access to our nationally-unique research and testing facilities, including the COAST Lab, UK Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Test Facility, Maritime Simulation Lab, Cyber-SHIP Lab, and the Cyber-Resilience of Offshore Wind Networks (CROWN) facility, all supported by our highly-skilled technical and research staff.
Drive clean energy innovation and tackle sector challenges by building on the University of Plymouth’s extensive engagement with the sector in national programmes, such as Supergen ORE Hub, and regional SME engagement projects, including Cornwall FLOW Accelerator, Marine-I, and MBTC.
Maritime Simulation Laboratory

Strategic research membership model

Benefit from a membership model will support individual companies and collaborations in working together to address sector challenges.
This will support strategic research to answer key questions relating to:
  • Optimised hydrodynamic design of structures for performance and survivability
  • Development of marine autonomous systems with appropriate regulatory framework for FLOW
  • Development of clean maritime support vessels for FLOW
  • Environmental licencing and consenting
  • Optimised port operations via the University’s Maritime Simulation Lab
  • Co-location of ORE with other operations, such as aquaculture, and whole energy systems integration

New technological solutions

Drive new technological solutions through supported access to specialist, state-of-the-art facilities and expertise in a breadth of areas, such as:
  • Floating structures
  • Dynamic cables
  • Moorings and subsystems
  • Installation
  • Operations and maintenance
  • Ocean data capture
  • Clean maritime solutions
  • Consenting and environmental impact
  • Maritime cyber security

Ongoing research and development support

De-risk and optimise floating offshore wind designs, configurations and operations by accessing facilities, expertise and ongoing R&D support through a range of flexible engagement opportunities.
These include:
  • Company-sponsored PhDs
  • Masters and undergraduate projects
  • Guest lectures
  • Staff exchanges and placements
  • Academic collaborative projects
  • Commercial projects
  • Co-investment in staff and new facilities with joint access arrangements

Contact us at ore@plymouth.ac.uk to find out more.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Students developing skills in the COAST Lab

Skills

Leverage our workforce development expertise to address knowledge gaps in your business. We offer a skills escalator that combines robust partnerships with both FE and HE provision, underpinned by an extensive schools’ outreach programme to encourage and enable individuals through the escalator to fulfil the variety of jobs being created by the roll-out of FLOW in the Celtic Sea.
We also work with Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Great South West to co-design initiatives that will satisfy growing skills demand in key areas. 

Future workforce development

Support the development of your future workforce through:
  • Student placements for undergraduate and masters courses introducing them to your company as a future career destination
  • Guest lectures for relevant University programmes to attract future graduates
  • Engagement at the University’s graduate fairs to promote your company to some of the brightest minds

Skills development for existing employees

Address skills gaps and staff retention, and support succession planning through bespoke part-time and workplace training and qualifications: 
  • Part-time degrees
  • Work-based degrees
  • Higher apprenticeship
  • Micro-credential provision
  • Bespoke short courses tailored to your company needs
 
 
 
 

Courses and Apprenticeships

We offer one of the widest portfolios of marine engineering and maritime business courses in Europe.

Offshore wind turbine in a wind farm under construction off the England coast at sunset.

Marine undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
Full- and part-time degrees, from coastal engineering to ORE, provided on campus or through partners within our college network.

Michael Everard Shipping

Shipping, logistics and operations qualifications
Programmes of study in areas related to the ORE industry, including maritime business, operations and supply chain management.

Inside of Roland Levinsky Building

Work-based degrees and higher apprenticeships
Industry-led, higher and degree apprenticeships to address skill gaps, support succession planning and stimulate business growth.

Featured Programmes for Offshore Wind

Alongside the wide breadth of marine and maritime courses that we offer, we also have programmes tailored to meet the needs of skills development in the offshore renewable energy industry, including:

Partner College Network

The University of Plymouth works with many partner colleges, both individually and collectively, including as part of the South West Institute of Technology . We collaborate on skills development for the maritime industry and floating offshore wind sector, facilitating work-based, full- and part-time vocational courses at levels 3-7.

Find out more about our full range of courses offered at FE partners.
Get in touch for more information about how our further education, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes can benefit your business and future workforce:
Professor John Curnow
john.curnow@plymouth.ac.uk
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Education and Student Experience
Professor Mark Anderson
m.anderson@plymouth.ac.uk
Associate Dean (Education) Faculty of Science and Engineering

The South West Institute of Technology

In addition to its strong partner college network the University is also a member of the South West Institute of Technology (SWIoT) .
The SWIoT is a multi-million pound partnership between academia and industry to drive world-class technical education.
This will benefit businesses looking to access expertise needed for the renewable energy, autonomy and marine technology markets.
Deep Trekker technology and innovation