Balmoral Comtec backs renewables with million-pound wave and current simulation facility

NEWS RELEASE

Aberdeen, 02-04-2025: Balmoral Comtec, a Balmoral Group company and a leading provider of buoyancy, protection and insulation services to the global offshore energy market, has invested £1 million in the development of a state-of-the-art Wave and Current Simulation Facility at Balmoral Business Park in Aberdeen. The purpose-built facility simulates surface, subsea and seabed conditions, making it suitable for evaluating offshore wind, solar and other subsea systems under dynamic water conditions.

Supported by partial funding from the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) Ltd of £74,000, this innovative facility highlights Balmoral Comtec’s ongoing commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions and supporting the energy transition.

The facility will be instrumental in enhancing the performance and design validation of HexDefence - a scour protection product launched in 2023. The state-of-the-art facility allows Balmoral to replicate offshore wave and current scenarios, providing operators and developers with an additional layer of assurance as they transition from traditional methods such as rock dumping. This investment builds on the approximately £2 million already dedicated to the development of HexDefence, including prototypes, design and testing.

The facility’s capabilities also go beyond renewable energy, supporting applications in the oil and gas sector and other marine industries requiring reliable simulation environments. Furthermore, Balmoral Comtec will be able to invite third parties to use the new test facility, opening further revenue streams for the business.

Fraser Milne, Projects and Engineering Director at Balmoral Comtec, commented: “The launch of the Wave and Current Simulation Facility marks a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to delivering sustainable energy solutions and advancing renewable technology. This cutting-edge resource allows us to provide unmatched testing capabilities that will benefit not only our HexDefence projects but also the wider offshore energy sector.

“Beyond the benefits to Balmoral, we believe that the facility will play a key role in strengthening Aberdeen’s position as a leader in renewable energy. As the city transitions to a sustainable energy future, we are poised to contribute significantly to the development of innovative solutions for the North Sea and beyond.”

Freda Miller, Supply Chain Programme Manager at ETZ Ltd, said: “This region is creating an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurial support for firms building the energy system of tomorrow. As part of that effort, this simulation facility will play a valued role in helping to test and de-risk technologies before coming to market for wide scale deployment in areas including offshore wind.

“This is an important investment towards ETZ Ltd’s goal to position North-East Scotland as the net zero capital of Europe, and another testament to this area’s world-class subsea innovators driving the transition.”