SSE Chief: UK Should Raise Offshore Wind Ambition

The UK should aim at building as many offshore wind projects as needed to help deliver decarbonization targets in the power, heat and transport sectors, according to Chief Executive of SSE, Alistair Phillips-Davies.

Phillip-Davies states that it is time the UK raises its offshore wind ambition, as the current goal of adding 1-2GW per year during the 2020s means it could become the technology with the largest installed capacity.

“The sector has responded, and an Offshore Wind Sector Deal will be finalised later this year setting out the industry’s substantial commitments to the Industrial Strategy. The question now is whether 30GW by 2030 is ambitious enough,” said SSE’s Chief Executive.

According to Phillip-Davies, the UK should be grateful that offshore wind is a solution to the problem of decarbonizing energy costs effectively, while securing new jobs and growth for the local economy.

This technology will need to do even more to keep the UK on the path towards its climate change commitments, especially due to Hitachi pulling out of the Wylfa nuclear project and onshore wind unpopular with the Government, Phillip-Davies concludes.

“We have a technology that brings cheap, low carbon electricity. The North Sea is a perfect deployment area for it, with great wind speeds, over such a large area that offshore wind can contribute strongly to energy security. It is supported by the public and the jobs and opportunities from development and operations are in communities that really need them,” said Phillip-Davies.