New round of successful growth programme opens for Scottish businesses looking to break into renewables

Businesses in the North East of Scotland aiming to enter the rapidly expanding offshore renewable energy sector can apply to the highly successful Fit For Offshore Renewables (F4OR) supply chain support programme.

Run by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, F4OR is entering its fourth round in the North East region and will support up to 19 companies through the programme, after receiving a further £288,000 from the Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ Ltd.)

F4OR is a key part of ETZ Ltd’s two-phase support initiative alongside a challenge fund that will deliver capital investment grants to help North East Scotland energy supply chain companies achieve their low carbon business ambitions. ETZ Ltd supported the second and third rounds of F4OR in the region.

Davood Sabaei, F4OR programme manager at ORE Catapult, said: “The F4OR programme in the North East of Scotland has supported over 60 companies in the region so far, and we are delighted that the programme has been endorsed by ETZ Ltd for a fourth round, as part of our ambition to support the clean energy transition, boost the local energy supply chain, and accelerate the growth in offshore renewable energy.”

The latest round of the F4OR NE Scotland programme will be available to established companies in the Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray areas that are focused on moving into the offshore renewables market. The F4OR programme aligns with ETZ Ltd’s overall ambition to create a world class energy supply chain.

Freda Miller, supply chain programme manager at ETZ Ltd, said: “Fit For Offshore Renewables has firmly established itself as a market-leading programme providing companies with the skills, insights and expertise needed to capitalise on the vast energy transition opportunities before us.

“ETZ Ltd is proud to support the programme’s fourth phase of activity across the North East of Scotland which will positively impact up to 19 companies seeking to accelerate their own low-carbon ambitions. The programme continues to grow from strength to strength and directly aligns with our ambition to reposition the region as globally recognised energy hub focussed on the delivery of net zero.”

Aberdeen-based, Brimmond, specialise in the design and manufacture of lifting, mechanical and hydraulic equipment for industry, and they recently gained F4OR accreditation on completion of the programme.

Steven Simpson, business development manager at Brimmond, said: “The F4OR programme has certainly opened our eyes to the opportunities, collaboration available, and general knowledge surrounding the renewables marketplace.

“With the support of our mentoring team and the weekly modules, we feel we are now in a greater position to deal with opportunities and projects within offshore renewables due to the information we have gained. I very much encourage companies that are committed to the future renewables market to get involved in the F4OR programme as it will be rewarding - you certainly get back from what you put in.”

The F4OR programme typically takes 12-18 months to complete, and was designed alongside industry experts to support companies bidding for work in the offshore renewable energy sector.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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