A group of more than 20 international firms from along the offshore wind supply-chain will form a partnership, provisionally called Norstec, to “create a major new renewable energy power centre in the North Sea and to maximise the significant opportunities that come with it”, says the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The list of initial signatories to the new body includes Alstom, Areva, Dong Energy, E.ON,