Norstec Shows Industry’s Will to Maximise North Sea Offshore Wind Opportunities

TAG Energy Solutions believes the formation of norstec demonstrates the will of government and the industry to maximise the offshore wind opportunities, which exist in the North Sea.

As one of the founder members of norstec, which was officially launched on 4 October at the Tate Modern in London, by the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, Ed Davey MP, TAG Energy Solutions has backed the network’s vision to harness the domestic renewable energy resources through a strong and effective collaboration between the sector’s developers, supply chain and stakeholders.

norstec was originally unveiled by the Prime Minister, David Cameron at the Clean Energy Ministerial Conference. More than 20 companies based in several different countries initially signed up to the shared vision of creating a major energy power centre in the North Sea.

It is predicted that, by 2050, the electricity equivalent of 1 billion barrels of oil could be generated annually in UK waters alone, matching North Sea oil and gas production. This would save 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, helping to keep Europe on track for its 2050 climate targets.

To achieve these targets the industry could generate considerable employment with the number of people directly employed in offshore wind potentially surpassing those employed in Oil & Gas at the height of North Sea production. Up to 185,000 high quality jobs could be directly or indirectly created, driven by the skills being developed by industry and within the UK’s world-class colleges and universities.

As a manufacturer of offshore wind turbine monopiles, foundations and jacket structures, TAG Energy Solutions is one of the leading exponents of the supply chain’s ambition to create a cohesive and collaborative supply chain.

The company is also one of the founder members of North East England’s renewables group, Energi Coast, which represents the region drive to become a hub for offshore wind operations based upon the area’s location, infrastructure and experienced and collaborative supply chain. TAG Energy Solutions CEO, Alex Dawson, is also Chairman of Energi Coast.

Alex Dawson said: “norstec perfectly highlights the will of industry and government to maximise the opportunities offered by the North Sea in offshore wind. It is essential that a stable investment environment is created to attract the necessary support from around the world for future offshore wind operations in the North Sea. The commitment and collaboration between industry and government, which is demonstrated by norstec, will help realise this ambition and ensure that the benefits offered by the vast clean energy potential of the North Sea are fully realised.”

He added: “Creating a cohesive and collaborative supply chain operation is an essential part of developing the opportunities in the North Sea and norstec will help showcase the skills, innovations and experience possessed by companies in the UK who can effectively service developments in the market.” 

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Press release, October 4, 2012; Image: TAG Energy Solutions