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POWER cluster

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POWER cluster
Classification:Interreg project
Interreg branch:Transnational (IVB)
Programme:North Sea Region Programme
Duration:2008-2011
Budget:5 million EUR
Homepage:www.power-cluster.net

POWER cluster is a project that aims to establish a business cluster for offshore wind power in the North Sea Region. It is part-funded by the North Sea Region Programme which is part of the transnational branch (IVB) of Interreg, one of the regional policy instruments of the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is the successor of the POWER project funded under Interreg IIIB.[1]

POWER cluster is led by the Bremerhaven Economic Development Company in Germany together with 17 other participants from Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.[2]

Offshore wind power

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Compared to onshore wind power, offshore wind power is more complex and costly to install and maintain but also has several key advantages. Winds are typically stronger and more stable at sea, resulting in significantly higher production per unit installed. Wind turbines can also be bigger than on land because it is easier to transport very large turbine components by sea. Offshore wind farms also have less potential to cause concern among neighbouring residents.[3]

The wind resources over Europe's seas represent a vast, local source of clean, renewable energy. By generating electricity without fossil fuels and by creating jobs in a sector in which some European businesses are global leaders, offshore wind can contribute to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, to ensuring security of supply and to improving EU competitiveness.[3]

Project objectives

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  • Developing an offshore wind power cluster in the North Sea Region (NSR)
  • Adapting and preparing the NSR workforce to the needs of offshore wind energy
  • Creating a business platform to foster offshore wind energy development in the NSR
  • Communicating the benefits of offshore wind energy to the public[2]

Project partners

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The lead beneficiary of the POWER cluster project is the Bremerhaven Economic Development Company in Germany. Furthermore, there are 17 beneficiaries from six countries participating in the project.[1]

No. Participant Country
1 BIS Bremerhaven Economic Development Company Ltd. Germany
2 SUBVE The Senator for Environment, Construction, Transport and European
Affairs, Free State of Bremen
Germany
3 University of Applied Sciences Bremerhaven Germany
4 Technical College Bremerhaven Germany
5 University of Oldenburg Germany
6 Foundation Offshore Wind Energy Germany
7 Ministry for Science, Economics and Transport, State of Schleswig-Holstein Germany
8 WAK SH Academy of Economics of Schleswig-Holstein Germany
9 Suffolk County Council United Kingdom
10 EEEGR East of England Energy Group United Kingdom
11 Northumberland College United Kingdom
12 SDEO Southern Denmark European Office Denmark
13 Offshore Center Danmark Denmark
14 Aalborg University Denmark
15 Delft University of Technology Netherlands
16 Greater Stavanger Norway
17 Chalmers University of Technology Sweden
18 Municipality of Öckerö Sweden

References

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  1. ^ a b "Project description on the NSR programme website". Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  2. ^ a b Northern European competence network for offshore wind energy[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b Offshore Wind Energy: Action needed to deliver on the Energy Policy Objectives for 2020 and beyond p. 2.