The three companies have received funding from the government body Technology Strategy Board (TSB).  A&P Group will work with each of the two companies to develop and build wave energy devices for the future. A&P Group’s engineering and fabrication skills at their yard in Falmouth, Cornwall will be used to help determine the most effective and cost efficient ways to produce the devices from prototypes through to the development and build process.  

Drystan Jones, A&P Group Business Development Manager, Renewables commented: “A&P Group is well positioned with its heritage in engineering to become involved in projects such as these.  We were closely involved in the Wave Hub project off the north coast of Cornwall and we have committed to this initiative to further support and help progress the use of wave energy in the future.

“Collaborations like these will go a long way to help our business understand and gain further expertise in marine renewable energy.  A&P Group, working with companies such as OPT and OWEL, will gain a great deal of knowledge and insight into the technology behind wave devices as well as contributing to driving down the cost of wave energy.”

According to RenewableUK, the trade body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries marine energy could provide 20 per cent of UK electricity consumption.  The sector currently employs 800 people in the UK and by securing the current market lead by 2035 the UK marine energy industry could employ 19,500 people, draw investment of £6.1bn and generate GVA of £800m per annum.    The UK is currently at the forefront of the marine renewable energy industry through its research and development programmes and test facilities.

A&P Falmouth also currently works with The Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE), a joint venture between the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter, on a knowledge transfer partnership project.

For further information contact A&P Group on 0191 430 8600 or email info@ap-group.co.uk or visit the website at  www.ap-group.co.uk .

For further press information contact Dee Byrne at TDG Integrated on 01293 452 866 or email d.byrne@tdgintegrated.com.

Editors Notes:

Ocean Power Technologies
Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPTT) is a pioneer in wave-energy technology that harnesses ocean wave resources to generate reliable and clean and environmentally-beneficial electricity. OPT has a strong track record in the advancement of wave energy. The Company participates in a $150 billion annual power generation equipment market. OPT’s proprietary PowerBuoy® system is based on modular, ocean-going buoys that capture and convert predictable wave energy into clean electricity. The Company is widely recognized as a leading developer of on-grid and autonomous wave-energy generation systems, benefiting from 15 years of in-ocean experience. OPT is headquartered in Pennington, New Jersey with an office in Warwick, UK. More information can be found at www.oceanpowertechnologies.com <http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com> .
 
Offshore Wave Energy Ltd (OWEL)
Offshore Wave Energy Ltd, based in Launceston, Cornwall, was formed in early 2001 to investigate and develop a new concept for converting ocean wave energy into useful power. OWEL has developed and patented a new concept of wave energy device, which traps and compresses air in successive wave troughs. www.offshorewindenergy.org

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led government body that works to create economic growth by ensuring that the UK is a global leader in innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. www.innovateuk.org <http://www.innovateuk.org>

A&P Group
A&P Group is one of the largest ship repair and conversion companies in the UK with an annual turnover of approximately £96 million.  The company is 100 per cent privately owned and employs 600 people across the Group.  Operating across three strategically located yard sites and seven fully operational large scale dry-docks in the UK, A&P Group’s three yards are located in Hebburn on the river Tyne, on the River Tees near Middlesbrough and at the historic port of Falmouth on the south west coast. A&P Group has developed internationally from its traditional business of ship repair, ship conversion and fabrication to providing offshore and renewable marine engineering services.  www.ap-group.co.uk