invest north east england

Narec, providers of R&D, consultancy, test and demonstration facilities for the renewable and electrical power sectors, is a national centre dedicated to accelerating the deployment and grid integration of renewable energy and low carbon technologies, utilising wind, wave, tidal, solar PV and thermal power. 

Established in 2002 as a Centre of Excellence for new and renewable energy technologies, Narec’s capabilities and assets are the result of over £30 million of investment from One North East, North East England's Regional Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund.

In our role to stimulate and nurture the growth of the energy industry in North East England, Narec works with infrastructure operators and the local electrical supply chain to optimise the economic benefits for the region. We also lead on projects to help reduce the North East’s carbon impact; address fuel poverty; and secure future energy supplies.

As an innovation partner with industry, Narec’s confidential development and prototype testing capabilities also provide a huge draw to project developers and companies operating in the low carbon energy and electrical network supply chains.

We help businesses to address the technical challenges and mitigate the commercial and operational risk from the deployment of new technologies out in the field. With a proven track record of success and a unique insight into the related infrastructure and business support available in North East England, Narec attracts technology and project developers to work in the region.

In recent years Narec has expanded rapidly and employs a team of engineers and technical specialists.  We currently have two sites in the region; Blyth and Hebburn and have recently opened a satellite office in London to support the development of our relationships with national and international business and Government. Last year, our success was recognised by Government as Narec was awarded significant investment to further develop its world-leading offering in offshore wind and marine renewables.

In July 2009, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) granted £10M of funding for Project Nautilus – a rotary test rig to be built in Blyth (available from March 2011) – with supporting infrastructure, software modelling capability and technical expertise to satisfy the growing demand from industry for specialist marine renewables drive train development.

It is also Narec’s intention to build a new £15 million facility in North East England for testing offshore turbine blades of up to 100m in length.  The new advanced facility will provide an independent and confidential environment to accelerate the development of new blade designs before they are taken offshore.  It will be the largest of its type in the world and is jointly funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Department for Energy and Climate Change (£11.5m) and Regional Development Agency One North East (£3.5m).

Further proposals for the development of the Narec wind campus over the next five years to support the deployment of Round 3 farms, expected from 2014 could include a drive train development facility for turbines of up to 12MW and full-scale demonstration capability.  These proposals will confirm Narec as a global hub for the accelerated deployment of offshore wind generating capacity.