The UK offshore wind industry has unveiled an Industrial Growth Plan aimed at creating jobs, tripling supply chain manufacturing, and boosting the UK economy by £25 billion. The plan, developed by RenewableUK, the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC), The Crown Estate, and Crown Estate Scotland, outlines strategies to triple offshore wind manufacturing capacity over the next decade.
Currently employing 32,000 people, the UK offshore wind industry adds £2 billion to £3 billion to the economy with each new large offshore wind farm. The plan expects employment to rise to over 100,000 by 2030, with investments in new offshore wind projects creating an economic opportunity worth up to £92 billion by 2040.
The Industrial Growth Plan aims to support an additional 10,000 jobs annually and boost the country's economy by a further £25 billion by 2035, contingent on accelerating offshore wind deployment to 5GW-6GW a year. The UK currently has nearly 100GW of offshore wind projects in various stages of development, making it the second-largest global pipeline.
The plan identifies strategic new factories and manufacturing capabilities to protect against supply chain risks and boost economic growth. It also prioritizes investment in key technology areas such as offshore wind blades, turbine towers, foundations, cables, and other components and services.
Furthermore, the plan highlights the industry's potential to drive technology innovation, accelerate deployment, and reduce environmental impacts through automation and AI technologies. It sets out plans to expand testing facilities for cutting-edge technology, such as new materials for blades and designs for floating offshore wind platforms.
To meet the plan's ambition, a Delivery Body is proposed to be established by the end of the year, in collaboration with key partners, to govern and deliver the Industrial Growth Plan. The plan aims to mobilize nearly £3 billion of funding nationwide, with a return of just under £9 to the economy for every £1 invested.
RenewableUK's chief executive Dan McGrail emphasized the plan's importance, stating, “Our Industrial Growth Plan is the deepest dive ever into the offshore wind supply chain, identifying the highest-value components and services which the UK should focus on to get the biggest economic bang for our buck from future wind farm development.”
OWIC co-chair Richard Sandford expressed support for the plan, noting, “These will help us to build up our world-class supply chain with new facilities in the UK, providing innovative products and highly-prized expertise for projects here and all over the world in an intensely competitive multi-billion pound export market.”
The plan is part of wider efforts to boost investment in the UK amid increasing global competition for clean energy technology. It aims to leverage existing national capabilities to grow the economy, generate employment, and secure the UK's leadership in international export markets.
