Green Marine UK has been named a finalist for the Global Offshore Wind Awards 2024, hosted by RenewableUK – the UK’s leading trade body for renewable energy.
Returning this October at the prestigious Royal Lancaster, London, the celebration brings together the brightest and most innovative minds from the offshore wind sector, recognising incredible achievements and contributions that have driven the wind energy industry forward over the past year.
In particular, the annual awards aim to celebrate growth, innovation and vibrancy within the wind sector, both in the UK and abroad.
Orkney-based Green Marine UK, which delivers specialist vessels, engineering and marine support services, has been shortlisted in the ‘Supply Chain Innovation’ category for its pioneering maritime initiative, Project Verdant.
Earlier this month, the project was officially awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) by global classification society RINA, during SMM Hamburg 2024.
The Innovate-UK backed initiative looks to retrofit CTVs (Crew Transfer Vessels) with hydrogen, fuel cells and batteries – in a bid to cut emissions while servicing offshore wind farms. Phase 1 involving preliminary design and feasibility studies has been completed, illustrating the hybrid system’s ability to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30% and NOx emissions by up to 40%. This has opened the door to subsequent project phases seeking to execute design, engineering and sea trials.
Green Marine UK’s Managing Director Jason Schofield said the project findings are hugely significant when considering the scale of opportunity. According to the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC), the offshore support sector will be worth around £26 billion by 2050, with an additional 1,200 vessels required to service UK industry and support the transition to Net Zero. Approximately 400 CTVs are currently operating in offshore wind farms around the UK and Europe, and this could increase to 700 by 2030.
“As the UK’s national trade body for renewable energy, RenewableUK is well placed to acknowledge key achievements across the offshore wind sector. We’re thrilled to receive this shortlisting for Project Verdant which has successfully demonstrated the readiness of hydrogen fuel cell technology in CTVs. This is an important milestone for offshore wind enabling a greener and more sustainable approach to service maintenance.”
Commenting on the awards, Liz Conboy, Commercial Director of RenewableUK, said the shortlist highlights the resilience of the supply chain, ground-breaking health and safety provisions, and exceptional advancements in people strategies within the industry.
“RenewableUK and our judges have been incredibly impressed by the quality and range of submissions for RUKAwards24. This is testament to the inspiring work at play across the sector, each and every day, as the industry continues to innovate and collaborate to deliver on the UK’s green energy potential. We cannot wait to welcome nominated companies, teams, individuals and colleagues from across the sector to the glittering Awards ceremony in London on 15th October, to celebrate these achievements.”
Ms Conboy added that as the UK continues to play a leading role in renewable energy, the awards ceremony forms a key event honouring the achievements of RenewableUK’s members, celebrating their collective impact on the wind energy sector.
Project Verdant’s conceptual design incorporates hydrogen fuel cells connected to electric motors, working in conjunction with existing diesel-fuelled engines, which can be shut down to enable zero emission operation at slow speed while servicing offshore wind farms.
The system enhances vessel redundancy and flexibility by utilising locations where hydrogen is, or will be, readily available. This approach creates a test bed to advance maritime decarbonisation in a challenging sector without significantly impacting the vessel’s operational profile.
Led by Green Marine UK, Project Verdant also involved maritime consultancy Waves Group and EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre). Global leader in hydrogen systems and marine fuel cell generators Energys supported with design, engineering and modelling. Meanwhile, Engineered Marine Systems (EMS) provided design for the battery room.
