Ed Miliband has been appointed as Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC).
The wind industry is welcoming the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero as the new Co-Chair of OWIC and the Energy Minister with responsibility for renewables, Michael Shanks, as Vice-Chair, at an OWIC Executive Council meeting in London today.
OWIC brings together industry leaders and senior members of the Government, providing a forum to accelerate the development of offshore wind, ensuring that the UK retains its international lead in this key technology which will be the central pillar of our future energy system.
Miliband said: “Offshore wind is officially back in business in UK waters, as proved by the numbers of investors lining up in our most successful auction yet to deliver almost 5GW of new capacity.
“This is the backbone of our mission for clean power by 2030 and that’s why this council is so important.
“I look forward to working with its members and industry to go even further, boosting our energy independence to protect families and businesses for long into the future.”
Shanks added: “It’s a privilege to be vice chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council as offshore wind will play a huge role in our mission for clean power by 2030.
“We are determined to give British families and businesses energy security – the only way to do that is to back the rollout of clean, homegrown energy which boosts our economy and supports us in protecting billpayers for good.”
The Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council Richard Sandford said: “I’m delighted to welcome Ed Miliband and Michael Shanks in their key roles as Co-Chair and Co-Vice-Chair, at a time when the industry is more determined than ever to deliver vital new clean energy projects even faster and at greater scale, as a central part of the Government’s clean energy mission.”
This is the first time an Energy Secretary has formally co-chaired OWIC, as previously this has been done by an Energy Minister and it sends a strong signal of the Government’s firm commitment to the sector, Sandford added.