A £100 million 10-year programme has been launched to ensure 海角视频 companies can capitalise on offshore wind supply chain opportunities.
Former McLaren Group chief executive and Formula One team principal Martin Whitmarsh will chair the industry-funded programme to develop a globally competitive 海角视频 supply chain.
The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, part of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, aims to support more than 650 companies to deliver 60 per cent of 海角视频 content in offshore wind farms.
It is a step-change, with most so far having far less than 50 per cent – and an average current build of 48 per cent.
Hull has seen benefits with blade building, with upwards of 1,00 direct and indirect jobs, and the North East has a strong role in towers, foundations and cables, but nacelles - the engine rooms - have so far not been built to commercial scale in Britain.
The programme comes as the intention to hit 30 gigawatts of offshore wind installed by 2030 is stressed again. It will take the level from the current 8GW generating capacity - with Grimsby providing a quarter - to the ability to generate a third of the 海角视频’s electricity.
The OWGP will be delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult which will provide support to supply chain companies to enable them to grow and to increase their competitiveness. Support will include a range of services such as expert advice on manufacturing and commercialisation as well as funding for innovation. This will:
- Help 海角视频 companies currently in the 海角视频 offshore wind supply chain
- Enhance the ability of 海角视频 companies to export products and services around the world.
- Enable companies from other sectors to enter the offshore wind supply chain.
- Inspire companies to develop the next generation of innovative products and services to meet specific industry requirements.
As well as helping hundreds enter the domestic market, it will create further opportunities to work globally. It is anticipated the annual value of 海角视频 offshore wind exports alone could grow five-fold by the end of the next decade to £2.6 billion.
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Industry chair of the OWIC and Ørsted’s 海角视频 country manager for offshore, Benj Sykes, said: “The offshore wind industry is offering multi-million pound opportunities to hundreds of innovative companies throughout the 海角视频 in the years ahead – including new entrants to the market as well as firms already working in this area.
“The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership will provide practical help for 海角视频 companies so they can compete successfully for contracts in this thriving global market. The 海角视频’s global pre-eminence in offshore wind means we are uniquely placed to sell our innovative products and services worldwide.”
It was announced at Renewable海角视频’s Global Offshore Wind 2019 conference, taking place in London.
The OWGP will be governed by an independent board chaired by Mr Whitmarsh, who carried out a review of the 海角视频 offshore wind supply chain for the Offshore Wind Industry Council, which was published in February.
Zoe Barnes, a partner at Everoze, a consultancy specialising in renewables; Stephen Burgin, who has held executive roles at ABB, Alstom and GE; and Richard Turner of business advisers Elan Solutions, a former president and chief executive of JDR Cable Systems, have also been appointed to the OWGP board.
At launch, the OWGP initiated its first project; an in-depth assessment of the offshore wind foundations sector. This will assess the current and projected requirements for turbine foundations in the 海角视频 and abroad, identify potential barriers to growth and make recommendations to overcome these challenges. This four-month activity is the first in a series of studies which the OWGP will undertake into various parts of the offshore wind supply chain.
First registrations of interest by companies seeking to benefit from the wider OWGP programme can be made this week at the event at ExCel in London.
The OWGP will invite companies to apply for support on a regular basis. The first pilot opportunity is expected to be in September with further programmes starting in early 2020.