Future offshore wind technologies: feasibility studies

Overview

This competition supports early-stage innovation in offshore wind, with a focus on feasibility studies that can unlock scalable, high-growth technologies.

Aligned with the Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan, the programme is designed to strengthen the UK supply chain and build a pipeline of businesses ready for commercial deployment. Projects should demonstrate clear potential for scale, follow-on investment and long-term impact within the offshore wind sector.

This competition is split into two strands:

• Future offshore wind technologies: feasibility studies (this strand)
• Future offshore wind technologies: industrial research

Scope

The aim of this competition is to support early stage innovation projects within offshore wind, aligned with the Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan.

It will build a pipeline of high growth UK businesses and technologies, preparing them for scale up, follow on support and future commercial deployment.

Projects must focus on one or more of the specific themes.

Key themes and topics

Projects must focus on one or more of the following:

Advanced turbine technology:

• towers
• blades
• drive train components
• automation of manufacturing processes

Industrialised foundations and substructures for deepwater solutions greater than 50m:

• deep water foundations, floating and hybrid design
• moorings and anchors
• improved manufacturing technologies for lower cost and increased durability
• application of novel materials for lightweighting and lower costs

Future electrical systems and cables:

• array and export cables
• dynamic cables at 132kV or greater

Smart environmental services:

• advanced solutions for autonomous environmental data collection and surveying
• environmental data analytic solutions integrating machine learning and AI

Next generation installation and operations and maintenance:

• technologies for optimisation of operational uptime and lifespan
• autonomous inspection and condition monitoring solutions

Projects will not be funded if they focus on:

• novel turbine design or redesign
• non-floating foundation designs
• onshore transmission systems or substations
• energy storage or grid integration technologies
• site-specific environmental surveys
• vessel build or modification
• routine maintenance activities
• solutions requiring integration with OEM turbine control software

Project duration

Projects must last between 6 and 18 months

Must start by 1 October 2026

End by 31 March 2028

Award value

Have total costs of between £50,000 to £250,000 per project

Funding rates

For feasibility studies, which evaluate a project’s potential by identifying key technical and commercial factors, organisations can receive funding for eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% for micro or small organisations
• up to 60% for medium sized organisations
• up to 50% for large organisations

Research organisations can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs

Eligibility criteria

• Projects can be collaborative or led by a single UK registered SME
• Collaborative projects must be led by a UK registered business of any size
• Projects must include at least one grant claiming SME
• Collaborators can include UK registered businesses, academic institutions or research and technology organisations (RTOs)
• Subcontractors must be preferably UK-based with fully justified and appropriate costs
• All funded project work must be carried out within the UK (except non-funded international partners)
• Projects must intend to exploit results from or in the UK
• Subsidy control rules apply under the Research, Development and Innovation Streamlined Subsidy Scheme