Marine
Supply Chain Accelerator
A £50million fund to help catalyse UK supply chain capacity and capability for offshore wind
To further growth in UK Offshore Wind, simultaneous investment in onshore and coastal infrastructure is vital. While Offshore Wind electricity generation in the UK has thrived, the infrastructure and supply chain have not kept pace.
In direct response to this, we have established a £50 million Supply Chain Accelerator (the Accelerator) fund with the explicit objective of helping catalyse the UK supply chain capacity and capability for offshore wind.
First funding round is now closed
The application window for an initial £10 million first round of funding that will be specifically aimed at UK projects that could support floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea closed on 30 July 2024.
Successful projects will be announced from October 2024 following assessment of applications, negotiation of funding and commitment agreements and necessary approvals.
Our Accelerator will provide matched funding of up to £1m per project to UK supply chain projects to help them undertake the early-stage development works necessary to get them “investment-ready”. We will also be asking for an option to participate in the capital investment phase of projects that are taken forward.
A further £40 million has been earmarked that could potentially be deployed to support UK projects that meet opportunities identified by the Industrial Growth Plan, which sets out how to triple offshore wind manufacturing capacity over the next 10 years.
Further information
If you have a question, please email accelerator@thecrownestate.co.uk and a member of the team will be in touch, alternatively you can browse the frequently asked questions below.
The information below was prepared to support applications to the initial £10 million first round of funding and is provided here for context.
Public, private and charitable organisations with a UK presence and registered in the UK.
In cases of consortiums or the creation of special purpose vehicles, a lead Applicant must be identified.
Applicants based in areas covered by Crown Estate Scotland are eligible to apply to the Accelerator.
Applications will be assessed in August and September 2024 with Applicants informed of the outcome from October 2024 onwards.
Funding for the development phase for new facilities that will support the deployment of floating offshore wind farms in the Celtic Sea.
This includes anchoring and mooring systems; floating platforms’ dynamic cables and connectors; operations and maintenance; logistics and skills transition.
The eligible activities within the development phase that can be included in applications are as follows: market research, market assessment, business planning, concept design, site selection, site investigations, surveys, submissions of planning applications, technical studies, environmental studies, design feasibility, feasibility studies, modelling studies and investment case development.
The Crown Estate will fund up to 50% of eligible costs.
In the application we will be asking for information to support our assessment process and subsidy control obligations, including information about:
Your organisation (and any other organisations joining you to make the application).
Your overall plans to develop, build and operate the facility proposed in your application.
How your proposals would add supply chain capacity that is relevant to Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 as set out in the Celtic Sea Blueprint.
Your detailed plans for the development phase of the facility.
Key financial metrics and expected sources of funding.
All information provided as part of your application will be kept confidential.
If you have a question, please email accelerator@thecrownestate.co.uk and a member of the team will be in touch.