New large-scale floating offshore wind ports and factories are to
be built in the UK thanks to government investment, Prime
Minister has announced today
(Saturday).
Developers and manufacturers looking to invest in this emerging
industry will be able to bid for a share of up to £160 million in
new funding, to kickstart projects across the UK.
The newly allocated funding will support the target in the Prime
Minister’s Ten Point Plan to deliver 1GW of energy through
floating offshore wind by 2030 – nearly 9 times more than the
current volumes worldwide – as a stepping stone to substantial
further growth in the UK of this technology.
Floating wind allows wind farms to be built further out to sea in
deeper waters, boosting energy capacity even further where winds
are strongest and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of the
next generation of clean energy.
It is expected that the £160m, boosted by private sector
investment, will develop port infrastructure capable of
mass-producing floating offshore wind turbines and installing
them out at sea, creating thousands of new jobs in the UK’s
industrial heartlands, whilst reducing the need to import from
overseas.
Making the most of the deep waters off the Scottish coast offers
huge opportunities for Scotland’s coastal communities, building
on its lead as a technology hub for offshore wind, including two
of the world’s first floating offshore wind farms off the coast
of Aberdeen. The Celtic Sea is also a major development
opportunity for the offshore wind sector, with a combination of
deep waters and strong winds, and which is set to create
significant opportunities for development in Wales, creating a
new economic cluster that builds on its strong industrial
heritage.
UK Prime Minister
said:
“Offshore wind is a UK success story in
forging our Green Industrial Revolution. Tapping into this
emerging sector will boost our clean electricity generation even
further, creating jobs and green innovation across the whole of
the UK.”
This comes as the Prime Minister attends the critical G20 summit
in Italy ahead of COP26 next week, as he urges major economies to
phase out coal and accelerate the transition to clean technology
and energy around the world.
The UK’s success story in the offshore wind industry has seen
costs fall by 65%. Replicating this around the world will be
crucial to helping halve global emissions by 2030, helping to
keep within reach the limit to temperatures rises to 1.5C.
Business & Energy Secretary said:
“This investment will help to attract further private sector
backing to boost our industrial heartlands. It will create and
support thousands of good quality jobs ensuring they remain at
the forefront of the next generation of clean energy as we build
back greener.
“Floating offshore wind is key to unlocking the spectacular wind
energy resource we enjoy in the UK, particularly in the deep
waters around the coasts of Scotland and Wales. This new
investment will put us in a leading position to capture the full
economic benefit of this fast growing industry.”
The newly allocating funding follows the success of the UK
Government’s £160m scheme to upgrade ports and infrastructure for
the conventional offshore wind industry, which has secured around
£1.5bn of investment, including new offshore wind ports in
Teesside and the Humber.
Earlier this year, the Government also kicked off the
biggest-ever round of the flagship Contracts for Difference
scheme – accelerating low carbon electricity generation,
including £200m support for offshore wind projects and £24m for
floating offshore wind.
Notes to editors
· This new
funding, of up to £160m, is part of the new 1.4 billion Global
Britain Investment Fund announced in Budget 2021, which supports
investment in the UK’s life sciences, offshore wind and
automotive manufacturing sectors.
· Details of how
this new funding will be allocated will be confirmed following a
process of engagement with the industry.
