Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has entered into an alliance with five companies to collaborate on its offshore wind program.

SSE signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Siemens plc, Siemens Transmission and Distribution, Subsea 7 Limited, Burntisland Fabrications Ltd and Atkins to make a considerable reduction in the price of delivered power from offshore wind farms.

The firms will work together over the next few months and decide on the formal commercial arrangements of the alliance prior to the commencement of the design activities.

This agreement is in line with SSE’s agreement signed last year with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe for cooperation on the development of the offshore wind turbines.

SSE director of offshore renewables Jim Smith said that the energy potential of offshore wind is vast, and in a resource- and carbon-constrained world it is a potential the firms need to fulfill. 

"In doing so, we need to make sure we maximize value and create a sustainable supply chain," Smith said.