GROW is a joint research programme in offshore wind that initiates research and accelerates innovations. GROW's strength lies in its ability to run focused, sequential and complementary RD&D activities. The consortium includes 20 leading and committed partners that cooperate closely to conduct joint research. Short lines of communication, trust and exchange of experience and knowledge are all significant contributions to the success of GROW.
GROW partners work together to reduce the costs of offshore wind and to increase the value of wind energy in the energy system and the ecosystem. Furthermore, GROW creates the visibility of the projects and the partners involved by showing the innovative capacity of the Dutch offshore wind sector. GROW also represents the interest of its partners related to RD&D policies and measures in offshore wind and stimulates co-operation with small and medium enterprises and higher education.
GROW stands for:
- Implementing a joint research programme
- Accelerating the development of innovations
- Initiating follow-up activities at an early stage
- Developing new cooperation opportunities
- Representing the interest of the GROW partners
- Promoting cooperation on topics of common interest
Three objectives
GROW strives to expand the role of offshore wind in the energy system and therefore has the following objectives:
- to further reduce the cost level of offshore wind in the (near and mid-term) future.
- to create added value of wind energy in the energy system and to further enhance its symbiosis with other sectors at sea (oil & gas, fishery, shipping, tourism, ecology and nature).
- to strengthen the Dutch offshore wind sector.
GROW Foundation
In realising these objectives, the GROW programme and the individual partners are supported by the GROW Foundation. The GROW Foundation strives to stimulate further cooperation and exchange of information between the partners, and monitors and steers the development of the overall programme. The board of the GROW Foundation constitutes of the following persons:
Jan van der Tempel (Ampelmann/DOT) - Chairman
Fred van Beers (Sif) - Secretary
Marcel van Bergen (Boskalis) - Treasurer
Tim van der Hagen (TU Delft)
Erik van Iperen (Shell)
GROW programme office
The GROW Foundation and consortium are supported by a programme office. The office initiates, coordinates and provides reporting for the RD&D projects of the partners. The office is run by:
- Director
- Programme Manager
- Office Manager
- Communication Manager
- Controller