The Offshore Wind Industry Council is launching a £100m, 10-year programme today that aims to support the growth of 650 UK businesses looking to capitalise on opportunities offered by the sector around the world.
The new initiative, the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP), is a part of the recent sector deal between industry and government, which will see at least 30GW of offshore wind installed by 2030 up from 8GW now.
Another target is to grow local content in UK offshore wind farms to 60% by 2030 from 48% currently.
The initiative will be delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, which will provide support to supply chain companies to enable them to grow and to increase their competitiveness.
The OGWP is expected to support companies by helping them access the domestic offshore wind sector, as well as creating further opportunities to enter a global market, which is expected to be worth £30bn per year by 2030.
It will be governed by an independent board chaired by Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren Group chief executive and Formula One team principal.
Zoe Barnes, Stephen Burgin, and Richard Turner have also been appointed to the OWGP Board.
Offshore Wind Industry Council Chair and Offshore Orsted UK country manager Benj Sykes, said: “The offshore wind industry is offering multi-million pound opportunities to hundreds of innovative companies throughout the UK in the years ahead – including new entrants to the market as well as firms already working in this area.
“The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership will provide practical help for UK companies so they can compete successfully for contracts in this thriving global market.”
The first pilot opportunity is expected to be in September with further programmes starting in early 2020.
Scottish Renewables director of communications Nick Sharpe said: “This programme, which will be delivered as part of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, is a major opportunity for the UK supply chain to capitalise on a growing domestic and international offshore wind market, as well as allowing industry to increase the UK content of our offshore wind farms.
“As Scotland begins to build out projects which will harness its offshore wind potential there is a real chance for supply chain businesses to invest and expand, creating skilled jobs and delivering economic growth across the country.
“Key to this is the commitment, through the OWGP, to complete an in-depth assessment of the offshore wind foundations sector, reviewing the current and projected requirements for turbine foundations in the UK and abroad, identifying barriers to growth and making recommendations to overcome these challenges.”
However, the GMB union said the benefits of offshore wind have mainly passed the UK workforce and economy by.
GMB national secretary Justin Bowden said: “There are no two ways about it, to date the majority of the potential benefits from the boom in offshore wind, and renewables in general, have passed the UK workforce and economy by.
“Look no further than the yards lying idle in Fife as contracts go offshore to Spain, Indonesia and the Middle East.
“Securing decent jobs in the renewables industry and its supply chain, and fairness in how decarbonisation costs are met, is now paramount.
“For this to happen, the political decision-making must not become separated from the economic consequences and the question of who pays.”