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ORE Catapult Inks MoU with Japan’s FLOWRA on Floating Offshore Wind

ORE Catapult and Japan’s FLOWRA have signed an MoU to collaborate on reducing risks and costs in floating offshore wind development through technology standardization, personnel exchange, and joint testing.

March 13, 2025. By Mrinmoy Dey

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Japanese Floating Wind Technology Research Association (FLOWRA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to reduce development risks and costs of floating offshore wind.

The MOU, signed in Tokyo, is the culmination of a nine-month period of collaboration and will include personnel exchange, work on standardisation of component technologies and a test and demonstration alliance to facilitate large-scale technology development.

The MoU between the two organisations coincided with a wider co-operation agreement between the UK and Japanese Governments to support and encourage collaboration on offshore wind deployment in both countries.

Floating offshore wind is set to play a major role in the future energy mix of both the UK and Japan in the years to come. Harnessing UK R&D capability and the strength of Japanese industrial manufacturing capacity will turbocharge development of this important technology, bringing innovative and sustainable renewable energy to both countries and wider global markets.

Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said, “The UK is a world leader in offshore wind, and this partnership with Japan will turbocharge the development of this vital renewable energy.”

He further added, “Clean energy has been chosen as a key growth sector in our upcoming Industrial Strategy, and international partnerships like this will attract investment, and deliver long-term, stable growth that supports skilled jobs and raises living standards across the UK, making our Plan for Change a reality.”

Dr. Cristina Garcia-Duffy, Director of Research and Technical Capabilities at ORE Catapult remarked, “As two island nations with a longstanding history of trade and investment partnership, Japan and the UK are important partners for the burgeoning technology development of floating offshore wind.”

In addition to the economic benefits and job creation opportunity floating offshore wind presents, it will provide significant energy security and support efforts in both countries for emissions reduction to combat climate change.

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Wind Power

ORE Catapult

Floating Wind Technology Research Association

ORE Catapult MoU with FLOWRA

Jonathan Reynolds MP

Dr. Cristina Garcia-Duffy

Floating offshore wind technology

Offshore Wind Projects