Principle Power Strengthens its Presence and Capabilities in the UK

Aberdeen, Scotland, 31st October, 2019 – Principle Power, a market leader in floating offshore wind, confirms its commitment to the UK offshore wind market by expanding its UK team and bolstering the capabilities it offers to clients.

Recently, the company has increased its activities in the UK on the back of its Kincardine project, which will become the largest floating windfarm in the world once it enters into operations next year. Last month marked the one-year anniversary of the first WindFloat turbine of the Kincardine project beginning to deliver power.

Patrick Lefebvre, Chief Commercial Officer at Principle Power, speaking at the Floating Offshore Wind UK conference in Aberdeen today, said: “The UK is a leader in offshore wind and there’s no doubt that floating wind technologies will contribute to both the country’s 2030 and ultimate net-zero carbon targets by 2050. With over 40 years of hydrocarbon production in the North Sea, the UK, and Scotland in particular, are in a unique position to leverage this expertise in the floating wind space. This will be relevant not only for the forthcoming Scotwind round but also to support projects internationally. We are excited about the opportunities for floating wind in the UK and looking forward to working with the development community and supply chain to continue harnessing the UK’s vast wind resources.”

As part of that effort, Principle Power is bringing on-board experienced professionals with a unique set of skills and competences that will enable the company to further support on-going and new projects in this market.

According to Cian Conroy, Senior Manager for Development at Principle Power, “With growth in the pipeline for floating wind in the Scotwind round, and the requirements of our operational windfarms, we are expanding our presence in the UK. Our UK team’s skills cover areas from project and supply chain development, through to commissioning and O&M of floating turbines, demonstrating the breadth of experience required to deliver on the energy transition. We look to further grow our UK team as more projects come on stream.”

The most recent team member to join Mitch Aldridge and Cian Conroy [See profiles below], is Adam Thomas coming from the oil and gas sector as a Senior UK Offshore Engineer based in Aberdeen.

“With a strong background in offshore oil and gas, Adam will bring a wealth of experience and critical skills to help unlock the potential for floating wind in the UK,” said Patrick Lefebvre. “Adam is a great example of the energy transition – floating offshore wind will need all the skills and expertise of the oil and gas sector if we are to deploy at scale. We are delighted to welcome Adam to our growing UK team.”

About Principle Power’s UK Team
Mitch Aldridge - UK Offshore Operation and Maintenance Manager
Mitch is responsible for operations and maintenance of Principle Power’s UK projects including the Kincardine project as well as supporting our offshore operations in other European projects.  With extensive experience in floating and fixed offshore wind, Mitch oversaw the installation, operations and decommissioning of the WindFloat 1, Principle Power’s 2MW prototype, which was in operations in Portugal between 2011 and 2016. This was a unique project which successfully demonstrated the WindFloat concept and also the crucial tow-to-port O&M strategy. In addition to his work on floating, Mitch oversaw the installation of the largest number of turbines in a UK offshore wind farm, managing offshore operations involving the complex tasks of deploying x116 2.4 MW turbines and laying the 25 km dynamic cable. Mitch is a Marine Engineer and Navy Commando who has served all over the world including in the Antarctic and Artic.

Cian Conroy - Senior Manager of Development
As a Senior Manager with Principle Power, Cian is responsible for the development of floating projects across the UK. This role involves working with windfarm developers, policymakers, and the supply chain to bring forward commercial-scale projects to help realize the full potential of floating wind not just in the current Scotwind round but also in future leasing rounds across the UK. With over 10 years of experience in offshore wind across the UK and Europe, Cian has worked in a variety of roles with Round 3 Developers, and innovation and enterprise agencies such as the ORE Catapult and Scottish Enterprise.
Working to support supply chain growth and diversification, reduce the LCOE of offshore wind, and to accelerate deployment of offshore wind, his projects have included the development of the Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine as an open-access platform for the demonstration of SME technology, the Scottish Innovation Foundation Technologies Fund (SIFT), the FSFOUND Gravity base solution at Blyth, and the establishment of the Floating Wind JIP.

Adam Thomas - Senior UK Offshore Engineer
Adam comes to Principle Power from the oil and gas sector where he developed critical skills in monitoring subsea and controlling systems, recording data, voltage testing, and general electrical and mechanical maintenance on offshore projects around the world such as the West Phoenix Platform in Panama. He is a Royal Marine Commando with a degree in Heating Engineering from Leeds University. 

About Principle Power
Principle Power is a global energy technology and services company. The Company’s proven and in-demand WindFloat® floating technology is unlocking offshore wind potential worldwide by enabling projects to harvest the best wind resource, irrespective of water depth or seabed condition. Principle Power acts as a trusted partner to developers, independent power producers, utilities, and EPCs, supporting its customers throughout the entire lifecycle of their projects. With 100 MW under construction and advanced development in Portugal, Scotland, and France, and a multi-GW commercial pipeline globally, Principle Power is the market leader in floating offshore wind technology.