Greentech Lead Europe: The U.K. Department of Energy and
Climate Change awarded about $3 million to three British companies to help
develop technologies that will help to lower the costs of offshore wind power.
NGenTec won 782,991 pounds to make magnet generator
technology for large offshore turbines. The equipment will ease the
manufacturing process for the turbines and increase reliability, according to a
report in Bloomberg.
Osbit Power was given 615,000 pounds to design a system
that will enable safe access to sea-based turbines in difficult conditions. OGN
North Sea received the remaining funds for building foundations for turbines to
be installed at water depths of 30 meters (98 feet) or more.
The funds will help it to create as many as 1,000
long-term jobs.
“Making wind turbines more efficient is common sense and
will help bring down the costs making them more attractive to build and helping
us increase the amount of electricity we get from clean, green sources,” Greg
Barker, energy and climate change minister, said in a statement released by
OGN.
The U.K. is aiming for 15 percent of its energy to come
from renewable sources by 2020. It’s planning to build 18 gigawatts of offshore
wind by 2020 from about 2 gigawatts now.