Supply Chain Companies Urged to Tap into Opportunities in UK’s Growing Offshore Wind Industry

Supply chain companies are being urged to tap into opportunities in the UK’s growing offshore wind industry – worth a potential £2 billion a year between now and 2025. 

The figures are highlighted in a new guide from Scottish Enterprise and the Crown Estate – The Guide to UK Offshore Wind Operations & Maintenance – which was launched yesterday (Wednesday 12 June) at Offshore Wind 2013 in Manchester.

Operations & maintenance (O&M) activity accounts for a quarter of the life-time cost of an offshore wind farm – and over the next 20 years will become a significant industrial sector in its own right.

During that period the increasing number of offshore wind projects planned further from shore will require more O&M support, including new logistical solutions and innovation.

The guide highlights the various opportunities in the offshore wind sector – ranging from turbine and foundation maintenance, to offshore logistics and export cable and grid connection.

Speaking at the conference, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:

“This guide is a huge step forward for companies to work towards in reaching their real, high level ambitions and true potential. We are looking to the future and offshore wind has a massive part to play in helping achieve Scotland’s 2020 renewable targets.

“It makes absolutely clear that they can make a cost-effective contribution to 2020 renewables and decarbonisation targets as long as opportunities are readily available.”

Maggie McGinlay Director of Energy and Clean Technologies at Scottish Enterprise said:

“As a new and growing industry it’s often easy to underestimate the scale of the potential opportunity of offshore wind, which goes far beyond the development and construction of wind farms.

“It’s vital that companies in our supply chain are aware of how they can benefit from this growth – both by transferring their current skills and operations to the industry and also by looking to develop innovative solutions to challenges, as developments locate further and deeper out to sea.”

Huub denRoojien, Head of Offshore Wind at The Crown Estate said:

“Operations & maintenance activity offers the prospect of long term, high quality jobs for the lifetime of the wind farm. And as we build more of our wind opportunity, so the opportunity increases for UK firms to access this growing sector.

“Much remains for us to do to realise this potential including, driving down cost, further improving health and safety aspects of these challenging work places, and getting better at sharing hard-learned lessons. This report gives a clear steer to companies of the potential scale of the opportunity.” 

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Press release, June 13, 2013; Image: Scottish Enterprise