The UK could secure an extra 10,000 new jobs and £25 billion for the economy by investing in the country’s offshore wind supply chains, industry leaders claimed today.
Regional Growth Prospectuses released by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) and The Crown Estate set out how coastal regions around the country can expand their activities in key parts of the UK’s rapidly-growing offshore wind supply chain.
The prospectuses outline how this could create and sustain an additional 10,000 new jobs, on top of the 100,000 already expected in the industry, and boost the UK’s economy by over £25bn between now and 2035.
The prospectuses build on the sector’s Industrial Growth Plan (IGP) for offshore wind, which set out national priorities to maximise growth by manufacturing key components such as turbine towers, blades, foundations and cables, as well as building and maintaining offshore wind farms and providing high-value services such as environmental surveying.
Ports are vital to maximise the opportunities set out in the Industrial Growth Plan and are highlighted in the prospectuses, reflecting their significant role in driving economic and industrial development.
Each prospectus is tailored to a specific offshore wind “cluster” – a coastal region where companies involved in the sector are already concentrated, and where there is an expectation that other firms will join them as the industry’s supply chain continues to grow.
The idea was initiated by the clusters themselves in the OWIC clusters forum, and they have all been involved in the project to compile the prospectuses.
The documents contain detailed analyses of the coastal regions which are best placed to undertake each specific activity set out in the IGP, including where the UK could build on existing facilities where huge components such as blades and cables are already being manufactured at scale and exported worldwide.
For example, clusters in the Humber, the north-east of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland have opportunities to focus on advanced turbine technology including manufacturing blades and turbine towers, as this would add up to £8bn to the UK economy over the next 10 years.
Seven clusters aim to develop new capabilities in turbine foundations (including massive substructures for floating offshore wind), adding up to £12bn between now and 2035.
Four clusters are targeting the cables and electrical systems needed to meet the UK’s offshore wind ambitions, adding up to £3.4bn.
There are major opportunities in seven clusters to expand activity installing, operating and maintaining offshore wind farms, worth £2bn, and five clusters could become centres for environmental services worth £0.5bn.
RenewableUK’s deputy chief executive and OWIC director Jane Cooper said: “These prospectuses show in detail how the UK can secure billions in new investment in offshore wind manufacturing and servicing in key locations around the country, building on our strengths and successes to date, providing clarity for Government and industry.
“Working with The Crown Estate and the clusters, OWIC has been able to set out which high-value components and services are the best fit for each area.
“Many of these clusters are already hosting a wide range of offshore wind supply chain companies serving projects here and exporting goods and expertise worldwide, but we can ramp up these activities to a significantly higher level, as these prospectuses demonstrate.”
Energy Minister and OWIC government vice-chair Michael Shanks said: “The clean energy transition is the economic opportunity of the 21st century.
“Our clean power mission isn’t just about delivering energy security and renewable energy to UK homes and businesses; it is also creating jobs and driving investment in our industrial heartlands.
“Communities are right at the heart of this energy transition, and that’s what these reports show – coastal communities from the north-east of Scotland to the south-west of England are benefitting from clean, high-skilled jobs in the offshore wind sector.”