Talking on the opening session of RenewableUK’s World Offshore Wind 2024 convention and exhibition at Manchester Central, RenewableUK’s Chief Govt Dan McGrail has known as for the sector to place the troubles of current years behind it.
His handle got here a couple of days after the group printed a report displaying that world offshore wind operational capability had elevated by 21% during the last 12 months, from 61.5 gigawatts a 12 months in the past to 75GW right this moment.
He mentioned: “By no means earlier than has our convention taken place at a second when the content material of our conversations and the boldness of our management can have such a direct influence on the years forward.
“After a number of years of turmoil, we must always lastly be coming into an period the place wind vitality turns into the core of the vitality system. There isn’t a doubt our sector has had a bumpy couple of years. The jarring impact of inflation on provide chains world wide has disrupted market costs, threat profiles and attitudes to the sector in contrast to something now we have seen earlier than within the business’s growth. But the market is popping the nook. In response to our new EnergyPulse report, the sector added 21% to its world put in capability within the final 12 months alone.
“Within the UK, we will look forward to a optimistic public sale for brand spanking new offshore wind initiatives in 2024, with practically 11 gigawatts of capability eligible to bid in, together with a wholesome mixture of established fixed-bottom initiatives in addition to progressive floating wind initiatives.
“We have spent much of the last year developing our offshore wind Industrial Growth Plan. Economic growth has been put at the heart of this election and many others around the world. After the UK election, the Secretary of State will arrive at a very early decision about how much offshore wind to procure this year. With the right backing, nearly £30 billion of private investment into renewables, across all technologies, can be secured this autumn, with an industrial plan to stimulate the jobs and careers across Britain, kickstarting economic growth and industrial reinvention”.
On the identical session, the President of COP26 and former Secretary of State for Enterprise, Power and Industrial Technique Sir Alok Sharma mentioned:
“The offshore wind sector has an important position to play in making certain that the world meets its local weather and clear vitality targets. You’ve come an extremely great distance in a couple of brief a long time. The applied sciences are right here – we simply have to deploy them quicker to maintain on monitor for our 2030 targets.
“We additionally know that your sector has confronted a triple whammy of headwinds during the last couple of years. These are rising pains – I do assume the sector has turned a nook and the basics are extremely robust.
“Your Industrial Growth Plan sets out very thoughtfully how to grow the UK offshore wind sector and ensure we have more manufacturing here , as well as boosting jobs and investment”.
Extra particulars can be found right here on RenewableUK’s 2-day World Offshore Wind 2024 convention and exhibition in Manchester.
