RenewableUK on Galloper OWF: Getting Projects Actually Built Can’t Be Taken for Granted

RenewableUK has commented on RWE’s announcement that it does not intend to continue with the development of its 340MW Galloper offshore wind farm project in its current form.

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Maria McCaffery, said: “Offshore wind projects stopping unnecessarily should be a matter of concern for Government. RWE’s announcement shows that getting projects actually built can’t be taken for granted, even after they’ve received consent and even after early construction work has begun.

“The fundamental changes introduced by the Government to provide financial support for renewables – the transition from the Renewables Obligation to Contracts for Difference – have left developers working under extraordinarily challenging conditions. In some cases, the level of financial risk is now so great that major projects are grinding to a halt.

“This means that British jobs and economic growth are being jeopardised. More than 13,000 people in the UK now owe their livelihoods to offshore wind. Supply chain companies up and down the country are counting on projects such as Galloper to go ahead. In the long term, it means that our potential to employ up to 44,000 people in the UK’s offshore wind sector by 2023 is being undermined.

“Underpinning everything is the need for a clear vision from Government for the period beyond 2020, so that we can plan accordingly. The lack of a long-term strategy is stifling confidence and large-scale projects may fall by the wayside. To provide the UK with energy security, as well as bringing down costs through economies of scale, the industry needs to know how much offshore wind capacity Ministers want to see installed by 2030. That would send an unequivocal signal to investors and thaw the freeze in the board rooms of big companies seeking to invest billions in Britain’s renewable energy sector.” 

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Press release; Image: RenewableUK