Scottish and UK ministers at opening of new National Subsea Centre
A new centre of excellence which aims to bring about a “faster, more cost-effective” drive towards net zero in the North Sea and other offshore environments has been officially opened.
Michael Matheson, the Net Zero Secretary in the Scottish Government, and Scotland Office minister Lord Offord were both at the opening of the National Subsea Centre (NSC)
The multimillion-pound new facility, in Dyce, Aberdeen, was set up by the city’s Robert Gordon University, along with the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
Its work will focus on the new technology needed by the energy industry to reduce emissions, along with the need to develop a more highly skilled workforce for the sector.
Centre director Professor John McCall spoke about the “hugely impactful research” being carried out.
He said: “We already have an embedded culture of enthusiasm and curiosity at the centre, and we use this to drive the development of smart digital and engineering technologies to enable a faster, more cost-effective and sustainable transition to a net zero energy basin, both locally in the North Sea, and globally in other offshore energy environments.”
Professor Steve Olivier, the principal and vice-chancellor of Robert Gordon University, said the NSC would be a “major element” in the university’s “strategic approach to strengthening the excellence of its research base”.
He said: “The research being carried out here, supported by our government partners, will have a far-reaching impact regionally, nationally and internationally as we plot a course towards a sustainable energy future.”
Colette Cohen, CEO of the Net Zero Technology Centre, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Robert Gordon University to establish the National Subsea Centre.
“This collaboration reinforces Aberdeen’s position as a leader in subsea and will accelerate the research into and deployment of new technologies to tackle subsea engineering challenges, moving Scotland and our sector closer towards its net zero targets.”
Mr Matheson, meanwhile, said the new centre would be a “tremendous asset” as Scotland looks to make a “just transition” to net zero.
He added: “It is also another important milestone in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, embodying the collaborative ethos required both to successfully deliver our National Strategy for Economic Transformation and deliver a just transition to net zero.”
Lord Offord said: “This fantastic new facility will undertake important research on the subsea technologies that underpin so much of our offshore energy potential.
“The UK Government is supporting the National Subsea Centre through our combined investment with the Scottish Government of £180 million in the Net Zero Technology Centre, and the regional economy through our North Sea Transition Deal.”