Your challenge: How can marine geospatial data help accelerate the growth of the Offshore Renewable Energy Sector?
Offshore renewables are helping the world to combat climate change by reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and are giving communities around the world access to a more sustainable source of energy. This sector can also support the development of a thriving Blue Economy. In fact, by 2030, we estimate the ocean renewables sector will be worth a staggering £178 billion and employ over 1.5 million people around the world.
To realise this growth, companies need access to data that can help them to identify the best locations for offshore wind, tidal stream and wave energy infrastructure. This includes developing an understanding of the marine environment and how changing conditions could affect performance, longevity and maintenance of each installation. Not only can this support new installations but optimise the performance of existing infrastructure around the world.
At the UK Hydrographic Office, we hold a wealth of marine geospatial data that can help meet these challenges, with bathymetry, seabed geology, tidal data, information on marine habitats and weather information for potential sites across the UK. And as world leading experts in marine and freshwater science, Cefas also hold data that helps keep our seas, oceans and rivers healthy and productive and our seafood safe and sustainable.
Your challenge is to identify, trial and prove how this data can support the growth of the Offshore Renewable Energy sector by helping planners to find suitable sites and mitigate implementation risks, while minimising impact on the environment.
Read our full Blue Economy report on the Offshore Renewable Energy sector >
Entrants will get access to world-leading data and expertise from the UKHO and Cefas
What you'll receive
Selected participants will have access to world-leading geospatial and scientific data from the UK Hydrographic Office and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science throughout the challenge. Teams will also get the chance to work with leading experts from both organisations as they develop a prototype product to test with users from the offshore renewable energy market.
The prize
The winner will receive hands-on support and marine geospatial information, valued at around £75,000, to develop an alpha product to test in the Offshore Renewable Energy Market.
Find out more and enter >