The UK should commit to 1GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2025 rising to 5GW by 2030, according to a new report.
The report – ‘The Future’s Floating’ – has been produced by a group called The Friends of Floating Offshore Wind, which has members made up of developers, technology providers, engineering consultants, suppliers and contractors.
The group is also requesting discussions with the UK government on a sector deal based on “socio-economic impact calculations” that offers support to the technology.
The support could be part of a wider offshore wind deal or a separate agreement, it said.
They added that floating offshore wind is on the way to being commercially competitive with other forms of electricity generation.
The sector also has the potential to further lower the cost of offshore wind, particularly in deep water and areas with challenging seabed conditions, the report said.
The Friends of Floating Offshore Wind chairman Chris McConville said: “Our position paper makes a compelling case for supporting floating offshore wind with a route to market in the UK.
“The technology ticks all the boxes of the UK’s Industrial Strategy and aligns with the vision for a transformed economy.”
Image: Hywind
UK ‘should set 5GW floating goal’
By EBS