GE Renewable Energy and the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult have set the seal on a four-year R&D deal looking into limiting offshore operations and maintenance (O&M) by boosting turbine reliability, making greater use of digitalised remote control of wind farms and introducing new robotics technologies for inspection and repair.

The $11m ‘Stay Ashore!’ programme is part of a broader offshore wind strategy at GE - which earlier this year launched the 12MW Haliade-X turbine platform - aimed at increasing local supply chain collaboration to further reduce the energy source’s cost of electricity.