Case study: Wave of opportunity

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership between the University of Exeter and A&P Falmouth, a ship repair firm, has allowed the company to enter the lucrative and important marine renewable energy field.

A&P Falmouth is collaborating with academics from the University’s Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE) to harness A&P’s experience and capabilities in marine engineering.  Together A&P and the University hope to advance world-leading technologies, and also secure the economic future of Falmouth and Cornwall.

PRIMaRE, an ongoing multi-million pound project, is backed by the European Regional Development Fund’s Convergence & Competitiveness resources and the South West Regional Development Agency.  This allows PRIMaRE to reach out to industry in order to aid economic growth and job creation in the South West.

Discussion between the University and A&P Falmouth, based near the University’s Cornwall campus in Tremough, identified a possible synergy between the company’s experience and capabilities in marine engineering, and PRIMaRE’s research into engineering for marine renewable devices and energy policy.

How RKT helped

RKT put together an application for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between A&P and the University, and helped to secure a funding package of £130,000 awarded by the Technology Strategy Board.  RKT drafted each stage of the KTP application and proposal, ensuring that the project was administered efficiently and leaving PRIMaRE and A&P Falmouth free to make the most of their new relationship.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are funded by the Technology Strategy Board in addition to 18 other funding organisations including Research Councils and Regional Development Agencies.  KTPs are one of a number of programmes led by the Technology Strategy Board aiming to accelerate business innovation.

A KTP Associate has been appointed under the supervision of Dr Lars Johanning and Dr Peter Connor, two of PRIMaRE’s leading academics.  The KTP will determine how A&P Falmouth can best offer production, installation and maintenance of marine renewable energy devices.  A&P will work with the University on determining optimum materials and components for marine renewable energy devices, and regulations and policies which will affect this market.

PRIMaRE’s relationship with A&P Falmouth underlines the value and impact of the research the project is undertaking.  A&P Falmouth is central to the fortunes of the Cornish town it takes its name from, and without assistance from PRIMaRE the opportunity that entering the marine renewable energy field presents may have been lost.

Knowledge shared between A&P and PRIMaRE will allow the firm to offer a range of high value services to technology developers through facilities like the Wave Hub and South West Moorings Test Facility Buoy.  Marine renewable energy is a growing global field that A&P Falmouth is now at the heart of, furthering Cornwall’s strong position in the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area.