Wood Thilsted and COP Frontier Launch Deepwater Wind Firm Neretek

Offshore wind engineering firm Wood Thilsted and COP Frontier have launched Neretek, a new company aiming to unlock the potential of deepwater offshore wind. The venture has developed a next-generation foundation, the Neretek BC90, designed to deliver the simplicity of monopiles in transitional water depths of 60 to 90 metres. The launch follows the UK Government's Allocation Round 8 announcement on 6 July, which seeks to exploit offshore wind potential in this depth range, positioning the technology to bridge the gap between fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind.

 

The New Venture and Its Leadership

 

Neretek has been established as a joint venture between two offshore wind specialists. Wood Thilsted, an offshore wind engineering company, has partnered with COP Frontier to form the new business. Industry veteran Jonathan Cole has been appointed executive chair to lead the company. His appointment brings experienced leadership to the venture at its launch. The combination of engineering expertise and sector knowledge underpins the new company's positioning.

The venture draws on established links within the offshore wind sector. COP Frontier is a sister company to Copenhagen Offshore Partners, a leader in offshore wind development. This relationship connects Neretek to significant industry experience in project delivery. The partnership pairs foundation engineering capability with development expertise. Together these strengths are intended to support the commercialisation of the new technology.

 

The BC90 Foundation Technology

 

At the centre of the venture is the Neretek BC90 foundation. The technology is designed to deliver the simplicity of monopiles in transitional water depths of 60 to 90 metres. This targets the UK's emerging category of Other Deepwater Offshore Wind, which covers this depth range. The foundation aims to enable scalable, lower-risk and lower-cost wind energy in these waters. It is positioned as a ready-to-launch solution rather than a concept requiring further development.

The design emphasises the use of proven technologies and existing infrastructure. The BC90 is deployable using a combination of established methods rather than novel systems. It can be manufactured from existing local supply chain capabilities and uses current port infrastructure. The design also avoids reliance on large specialist vessels for installation. The company claims this offers the most cost-effective method to deploy in these depths, with significantly lower capital expenditure than deepwater monopiles or jackets.

 

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Market Context and Timing

 

The launch coincides with a significant UK policy development. It follows the announcement of Allocation Round 8 on 6 July, in which the UK Government outlined plans to grow the sector. That round seeks proposals to exploit the UK's offshore wind potential in depths of 60 to 90 metres. This alignment places the technology directly in step with government ambitions. The timing positions Neretek to address a policy-driven market opportunity.

The venture responds to a longstanding gap in offshore wind development. A significant part of the UK's strongest wind resources lies beyond the reach of fixed-bottom foundations. These foundations become uneconomic in deeper waters, leaving such sites to floating offshore wind. However, cost and industrialisation considerations have raised questions about deploying floating wind at scale in the near term. The BC90 aims to fill this gap by enabling fixed foundations in previously uneconomic depths.

 

Industry Significance and Outlook

 

Company leadership frames the technology as a way to maintain sector momentum. Cole said the BC90 could remove the potential hiatus between existing fixed designs and yet-to-be-commercialised floating wind. This is intended to allow the industry to maintain progress at a critical time for clean energy delivery. Wood Thilsted's chief executive described the solution as a market-first answer to a challenging engineering question. The emphasis rests on providing an affordable fixed-structure solution at these depths.

The broader implications extend to project viability and competitiveness. COP Frontier's chief operating officer said the technology directly addresses pressing cost and development challenges. It has the potential to improve project viability and accelerate deployment across the sector. The company believes such solutions will strengthen the long-term competitiveness of offshore wind. This positions the BC90 as a tool for unlocking more offshore wind in the UK and internationally.