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Ten companies, ranging from pioneering subsea robotics to next-generation EV charging, receive ETZ grants Ten North East firms with high-growth potential in renewables and low-carbon markets are benefitting from a £4 million investment boost, unlocked by Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ) funding. The latest round of the ETZ Challenge Fund, which has so far unlocked more than £14m investment since 2022, has provided grants to firms ranging from pioneers in subsea robotics to developers of next-generation electric vehicle chargers, aimed at helping businesses to accelerate innovation and transition into low-carbon markets. The not-for-profit, spearheading North-East Scotland’s energy transition, has delivered £1.47m of capital grants, supporting further private funding of more than £2.4m. Today’s announcement marks its third round of Challenge Fund support. Launched in 2022, the Fund has so far issued more than £4.5m in capital grants to dozens of companies across Aberdeen City, Shire and Moray, unlocking total investment of more than £14 million across the three rounds. Through the Challenge Fund grants, backed by the Scottish Government Just Transition Fund, awardees are poised to grasp opportunities in a range of sectors including offshore wind, geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydropower. The full list of awardees is: Safelift Offshore Ltd (Offshore Wind) Trojan Energy (Electric Vehicle Charging)Greenwell Equipment (Offshore Wind, Onshore Wind, Hydropower, CCS, Wave Power) Resolute Energy Solutions Ltd (CCUS, geothermal, decarbonisation of oil and gas)ITC Hydraulic Services Ltd (Offshore Wind) Innovair Limited (Offshore Wind) Alba Gaskets (CCS, Decommissioning) HonuWorx Ltd (Offshore Wind) HPR ROV Ltd (Offshore Wind) ADC Energy (Offshore Wind) Primarily focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ETZ has issued individual grants of up to £250,000 to firms, many of whom have traditionally serviced the oil and gas market and are now exemplars of the transition to clean energy in action. Project awardees include HPR ROV, developing “micro ROVs” for floating wind inspection, and Safelift Offshore, which is using its funding to develop a state-of-the-art fabrication facility at its Aberdeenshire base. The award of the funding was marked by Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, during a visit to Alba Gaskets this week. Traditionally an oil and gas-focused firm, Alba Gaskets is using the funding to help break into the CCS market utilising its specialised laser welding and 3D printing technology. Acting Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland has an established track record in promoting renewable energy. We are at the forefront of its technology development and generate the majority of our electricity from renewable sources - ensuring we play a crucial role in the UK's overall energy landscape. “The ETZ Challenge Fund is a good example of how funding, supported by our Just Transition Fund, is helping businesses to accelerate innovation and transition into low-carbon markets. “This is yet another demonstration of the Government working closely with partners to ensure that our transition to net zero by 2045 is done in a way which is just and fair to everyone.” Freda Miller, Supply Chain Programme Manager at ETZ, said: “This impressive array of companies supported by the third round of the ETZ Challenge Fund showcases the scale of pioneering work being driven forward by this region’s world class energy innovators. “The supply chain is the lifeblood of our sector. These are the homegrown companies, with specialist skills and experience to scale and deploy innovative solutions that are vital if we’re going to reach net zero – both here in Scotland and right across the globe. “More than £3.9m of total funding has been unlocked through this round of the Challenge Fund, showcasing a sector which is ready and willing to diversify operations for the industrial revolution in green energy.” Gavin Sim, Managing Director, Alba Gaskets, said: “As a proud Scottish manufacturer, we want to create employment within the city and longevity for the business. “This funding will assist us in our goals to become the leading gasket supplier within the CCS market and we thank ETZ Ltd for its support in realising that ambition.”

Youngsters across the North-east will have the chance to learn about wind energy thanks to a new mobile wind turbine exhibit donated to Aberdeen Science Centre. The centre has been awarded £7,500 in sponsorship by the Energy Transition Zone Ltd (ETZ) to purchase the mobile exhibit, which will be used to help children and young people across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire learn more about wind energy and the significant role it plays as part of the energy transition. The tabletop unit will be used as part of ASC’s outreach programme to deliver 10 community engagement sessions to underserved and underrepresented audiences across the region in 2024/2025. At least two of these sessions will take place in Torry, the neighbouring community of the Energy Transition Zone. When not being used by the outreach team, the exhibit will be set up at ASC’s energy zone, where it will be used by school groups visiting the centre. Part of the funding will be allocated for staff time to develop engaging and fun content around the exhibit to ensure participants benefit from a rounded learning experience. As well as including information on renewables as a source of energy, the sessions will cover skills used in the renewables sector and career opportunities. Steph McCann, fundraising manager at ASC said: “We’re very grateful for the funding we’re receiving from ETZ. Support such as this is vital in helping us to continue to develop our outreach programme to reach as many people as possible. “This funding will enable us to give young people across many of our underserved communities increased access to learning about the opportunities and options available to them if they consider following a STEM-focused career path. “It will also help them develop their knowledge and understanding of the energy transition journey and why that is important as we move towards net zero.” ETZ is a private sector led, not for profit company which is spearheading North-east Scotland’s energy transition ambition. It receives funding from the Scottish and UK Governments and has a clear focus on repositioning the region as a globally recognised new and green energy cluster. The funding for ASC is part of its commitment to engage with the local community, highlighting career possibilities and technology and ensuring the energy transition is a just transition. Lauren Braidwood, project manager at ETZ, said: “We are delighted to be supporting ASC in promoting energy knowledge and skills throughout our local communities. We want to ensure energy careers are accessible and inclusive to all, and outreach activities are essential in communicating opportunities across the region. “Young people are the north east’s workforce of the future and inspiring them into STEM and energy careers is critical to ensuring a just energy transition. Everyone has a part to play in achieving a net zero future, so it’s more important than ever that we bring local people along on this exciting journey.” Aberdeen Science Centre works with communities across the north of Scotland, including Moray and parts of the Highlands and Islands delivering a wide range of workshops and events for people of all ages. The focus of these is to show that engaging with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is fun as well as educational and demonstrates how science is everywhere and part of everything we do.

We are excited to announce the release of ETZ Ltd's Spring Quarterly Update. In the past three months, we have hit significant milestones in our goal to reposition Aberdeen and North East Scotland as a globally recognised energy cluster focused on the delivery of net zero. Click below to learn more! Click here to read the full update.

ETZ Ltd has established a community fund that will support local community projects. An initial £100,000 will be made available to local community projects in the pilot year with a commitment to further funding in future. This is the first of many steps in taking forward ETZ Ltd’s Community & Coast programme, a significant investment programme to improve local green spaces and deliver a comprehensive community benefit. The community fund will be delivered independently by ACVO, who have over 20 years’ experience working in the city as the central hub of knowledge relating to the local third sector and has a strong reputation in fund management and delivery to the third sector. The fund will take applications for projects from community groups in Torry and Cove that align with the Community & Coast six pillars. Carole Monnier, ETZ Ltd Community Lead, said, “We recognise that working closely with the community to identify, shape and deliver impactful projects will be the key to delivering a successful pilot year and beyond. That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with ACVO who has a proven track record of delivering positive impact for communities." Informational sessions will be held by ACVO leading up to opening for submissions in late September 2024. ACVO will be making more information available on their website as dates draw nearer. The recipients of the fund will be decided by a process called Participatory Budgeting (PB). Residents of Torry and Cove will decide which projects will be successful through an online voting process. Maggie Hepburn, CEO of ACVO said, “Finding funding is very challenging and ACVO are looking forward to being part of delivering this locally focused fund with the ability to develop some exciting projects.” More information is available directly on the ACVO website You are invited to register your interest directly with ACVO, or by emailing community@etzltd.com to receive news about the fund as it becomes available. ETZ’s Charity Partnerships ETZ Ltd supports a range of charities with a track-record of working with local people. Partnership projects align with the six pillars of the Community & Coast programme. To date, we have supported organisations with a focus on delivering wellbeing, resilience and pathways to success for young people. Find out more If you are a charity working within communities in proximity of the Energy Transition Zone and would like to know more about our future partnership opportunities, please get in touch at community@etzltd.com More about ETZ Ltd’s Community & Coast Programme and the six pillars.

Since publishing our first Jobs & Skills Plan in April 2023, our commitment firmly stands to support the creation of quality jobs and ensure local people have access to training and employment opportunities. This progress report provides an update on our key projects relating to jobs and skills. In the past year we have supported initiatives in regional primary and secondary schools, college and universities, as well as community-focus activities. These projects are the foundations on which we will help to build the skills needed to enable energy transition and provide accessible and inclusive training at all levels. Read the full Jobs & Skills Plan Update here.

Scotland’s First Minister, the Rt Hon. Humza Yousaf MSP, will today (Monday 18 March) officially open the world’s first dedicated innovation centre for floating offshore wind. Located in the heart of Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone, ORE Catapult’s £9 million National Floating Wind Innovation Centre (FLOWIC), delivered in collaboration with ETZ Limited, is designed to help supercharge the development of floating offshore wind technology in the UK, with funding from both the Scottish Government and Innovate UK. Floating offshore wind represents a huge economic opportunity, with more than 19GW of potential projects in the pipeline through the ScotWind Leasing process, a new leasing round on the horizon in the Celtic Sea, and the prospect of transferring skills and knowledge from oil and gas to aid the Just Transition. The INTOG leasing round has also established an opportunity for floating wind to contribute to decarbonising north sea energy production. Through the successful roll out of this pipeline of activity, industry has estimated that floating offshore wind has the potential to deliver over £43.bn in UK gross value add (GVA) by 2050, and create more than 29,000 jobs. FLOWIC provides unique facilities for companies to develop and derisk many of the technologies essential to the future success of the sector, with significant demand from industry for use of these services to capitalise on the unrivalled pipeline of floating offshore wind projects in UK waters. Speaking as he officially opened the centre, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Delivering our net zero ambitions will require economic and societal transformation, with sustained investment, both public and private, to achieve it. We know the scale of the change needed. The National Floating Wind Innovation Centre embodies the spirit of collaboration that will drive the offshore wind industry forward. “FLOWIC also epitomises the relentless pursuit of science in helping to decarbonise our economy and represents a collective determination to solve the complex challenges posed by our net zero ambitions. “We share a common objective to establish Scotland as a first mover in floating wind technology on an industrial scale and by seizing this advantage we can position Scotland among the world's leaders in this groundbreaking industry as we maximise the opportunities of our Just Transition” Andrew Jamieson, Chief Executive of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, said: “This facility represents a groundbreaking step forward in the commercialisation of floating offshore wind – a sector that will be critical to meeting our Net Zero targets. “When you look at the projected global market demand for floating wind technology over the coming years, the opportunity is eye-watering; dynamic cables alone will be a more than £2bn global market over the next decade. Here in the UK we are well placed to play a leading role in that market by developing the supply chain to support the innovations that will bring this potential to life. Others are chasing the same prize though, so the time is right to make sure Scottish and UK companies are at the front of that race, and this facility is a key part of helping that happen.” Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of ETZ Ltd, said: “The opening of the world’s first National Floating Wind Innovation Centre in the Energy Transition Zone marks a hugely significant milestone for the North East of Scotland and its ambition to be a global leader in the commercialisation of floating wind. Owing to its world-class oil and gas industry, this region has gained an international reputation for pioneering innovative energy solutions over the last 50 years and the creation of this this ground-breaking centre will help cement that position going forward as we seek to capitalise on the huge opportunities presented by floating offshore wind. “A massive 17GW of planned floating wind projects are within 100 nautical miles of Aberdeen and this market leading facility will have an internationally recognised capability to reduce the costs of energy from these developments supporting the incubation of new products, services and businesses across the energy sector. We are already seeing a number of supply chain businesses actively transitioning toward offshore wind, creating jobs as they do so, and the operation of this centre will provide greater confidence for them to scale and grow. “We are grateful to the First Minister for marking the official opening of this facility and for the Scottish Government’s vital funding support to establish it. Of course, today wouldn’t have been possible without our partners at the fantastic ORE Catapult, they share our vision for this region and have acted decisively to ensure this this transformational project has been delivered at pace.” The array of cutting edge equipment housed in FLOWIC includes: A large-scale dynamic cable flex fatigue rig, designed and built specifically for use in this facility, to test and validate the strength, performance and reliability of dynamic subsea cables – a critical component of floating offshore wind farms.A large-scale anchor test rig to test dynamic anchoring systems - another unique element of floating wind technology.A floating offshore wind scale motion simulator, or Hexapod, capable of providing dynamic testing of scale structures and electrical & mooring connections in a simulated marine environment. A virtual reality studio to allow engineers to envisage scenarios and challenges likely be faced in the build out of future floating wind turbines. As part of the First Minister’s tour, he will meet with ORE Catapult’s team of in-house experts, along with leading representatives from across the offshore renewable energy sector, and will also hear from locally based supply chain companies on how this facility can help them tap into the potential offered by floating offshore wind.