It’s not until you come to write things down that you often realise the historical impact of events. This is certainly the case with the Port of Blyth. Read on!
Having spent 4 years at British Gas Research & Technology, 3 years at the National Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC), 18 months helping to set up the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) and 8 years as a Harbour Commissioner at the Port of Blyth, these, among other things, have allowed me to witness first-hand what can only be described as a jaw-dropping renaissance of the Port of Blyth into what is now one of the UK’s most prominent offshore energy campuses, underpinned by high quality technology-driven organisations.
Let’s take a walk through time…
The Port of Blyth was at it in the early 1900’s with the construction of the world’s first aircraft carrier. The die was cast! First-of-a-kind (FOAK) was to become the Port’s watchword!
Fast forward 100 years or so, to the UK’s first two offshore wind turbines (2 x 2MW) being constructed 2km off the port, along with the famous array of 9 x 300KW machines proudly populating the harbour wall from 1993 until their replacement in 2012 with one 3.4MW machine at the Port. The decommissioning of the UK’s first two offshore wind turbines in 2019 was also a FOAK that the Port of Blyth can lay claim to. Notwithstanding the immense pride at these FOAK events, it is their catalysing effect on what was to follow over the next quarter century that stands out.
Stepping back to provide more context, when British Gas established its Engineering Research Station in Killingworth in the mid-60’s, it also took the opportunity to create its Subsea Technology Centre on the site of the former Blyth shipyard, using the deepwater capacity dry docks as ideal test facilities to bring subsea technology to life for the oil & gas sector. It was possible to simulate the North Sea seabed (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) and to test the then game-changing designs of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), subsea pipeline trenching and burial technologies, and underwater sonar detection systems, to name but a few. Guess what, firsts-of-a-kind! These assets would later be repurposed for the testing of wave and tidal technologies, and, more latterly, the creation of the Digital, Autonomous Robotics Engineering (DARE) Centre of ORE Catapult, itself a FOAK.
With British Gas’ consolidation of its research stations in the mid-90s into one huge site in Loughborough (about as far away from the ocean as you could get in the U.K.), the Blyth site once again was in need of a shot in the arm. Following a brief flirtation under the banner of Ulysses, enter ONE North East and its creation of the then ‘New and Renewable Energy Centre’ (NaREC) under its ‘Centres of Excellence’ programme. This immediately provided a new impetus to the site, not to mention a budget to hire staff and create test assets to advance new and renewable energy technologies. Was there anything like this in the U.K.? No! Guess what, another FOAK was notched up!
NaREC then set about creating immense regional and national value through its involvement in EU R&D consortia and, very importantly, through outreach to sister-type organisations in USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Germany. NaREC had arrived at the top table of highly respected global research, test and demonstration facilities. As a result, the Port of Blyth’s profile rose rapidly, quickly becoming synonymous with wind technology research and testing, in particular. Indeed, NaREC staff were in demand to help organisations like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) design its blade testing facilities in Boston and Boulder, Colorado. Thus alone further enhanced NaREC’s credibility globally, and with that of Blyth. In addition, with the stroke of a pen, in 2009, NaREC now stood for the NATIONAL Renewable Energy Centre.
The next point of the S-curve came in the late 2000’s with the then Labour Government going full out in support of offshore wind. As a result, grants were made available to design and construct test and demonstration assets for the next generation of wind turbines that would be required to advance the offshore wind and wave & tidal technologies. Another FOAK moment was around the corner with funding secured to construct the world’s largest drive train facility (15MW), the world’s largest blade test facility (100m blades) and to consent a 99.9MW offshore wind test and demonstration facility off the coast of Blyth. There was, however, some navel gazing when US original equipment manufacturer, Clipper, abandoned its plans to develop its 10MW turbine in the North East, as it had been the first customer of the new blade test hall. Undeterred, NaREC ploughed on!
The incoming government decided that the U.K.’s innovation ecosystem needed a shake up. This led to the creation of InnovateUK from the Technology Strategy Board, and this emergence of the Catapult network of intermediary technology institutes. Following an open competition, the details of which I will spare you in the interests of brevity, armed with its new asset base, NaREC emerged in pole position as the kernel of the new Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. Another FOAK! Not only did Blyth now possess the world’s largest open access wind turbine blade test facility, it also had the world’s largest drivetrain test rig and a 99.8MW consented, offshore wind demonstration facility - the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator (BOD). This represented the world’s first integrated suite of test and demonstration assets. Ultimately, EdF Renewables took on the construction of BOD, leading to its 2017 commissioning as an initial 41.5MW (5 x 8.3MW turbines) site. With 58.4MW of permitted headroom still available, BOD remains in a dynamic position to embrace, say, a floating offshore wind demonstration array. Time will tell whether this happens, with much resting on the economics and incentives to bring this additional element of BOD to life. However, the blade and drivetrain test assets, as well as the electrical testing facility have enjoyed excellent occupancy since commissioning, thus vindicating the decision made in the 2000s to bring these assets into existence. As a result of its research, analysis plus test and demonstration programmes, ORE Catapult is now a global brand with a reputation that is second-to-none. Additional assets such as DARE have recently been constructed in-line with market needs, and ORE Catapult has grown its regional representation throughout the U.K. Embedded within ORE Catapult remains the NaREC brand which is only right given that OREC is truly a National Renewable Energy Centre.
In parallel with the consolidation of a globally leading research, innovation, test and demonstration campus, over the last 12 or so years, the Port of Blyth has witnessed a metamorphosis in its client base and associated activities, thus establishing a new brand image in the eyes of the market. Nowhere has the impact of technology clustering been more manifest. The coagulation and entrainment effect of attracting big offshore energy brands such as Royal IHC and Deep Ocean to the Port is now recognised as having been essential to the creation of the symbiotic technology relationships that are now in place. With brands such as Texo, JDR, Oil Spill Response, Enshore, EdF Renewables, Liftright, and more now in place, it augurs well for the future.
The latest FOAK is Energy Central Learning Campus which seeks to equip the future labour pool with the skills required to support the cluster and beyond. The partnership among ORE Catapult, Port of Blyth, regional academia and Northumberland County Council/North East Combined Authority, is a perfect example of the ‘triple helix’ in operation. The recent signature of a partnering agreement with Energy Central to support JDR Cables’ skills requirements shows that this FOAK has also hit the ground running.
So, that’s a canter through time - a bit of therapy for someone who has been on that journey at the Port of Blyth -directly and indirectly - for around 20 years. It’s great to trawl through the memories and try to stitch them together in a linear sense. Of course, the journey has been highly nonlinear, and it continues apace. The extension to the blade hall is now in play, and new test assets are on their way to Blyth which will create further FOAK milestones.
Well done to all who have been involved in this journey. You have done yourselves, the Port of Blyth, the town of Blyth, the wider North East region, and U.K. PLC proud. Blyth is the First of a Kinder place!!
Dr Alan Lowdon OBE