Industry chiefs: Offshore wind at the heart of UK economic growth
The UK’s offshore wind sector is at a “pivotal moment” and has a “unique opportunity” to develop skills to drive a truly world-leading industry.
That's according to Andrew Jamieson, Chief Executive of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, who was speaking ahead of an “Industry Leaders’ Debate” at Scottish Renewables’ Offshore Wind Conference, which will be held in Glasgow on January 24.
He said:
“The costs of energy from offshore wind have fallen to such a degree in recent years that it is rapidly becoming not only the nation’s primary means of delivering its carbon reduction targets through the coming decades, but a huge opportunity to export energy across Europe and goods and services all around the world.
“That growth is driving opportunity in many areas, and we now have the chance to develop the companies, the workforce, the skills and expertise that will do for the UK, and for Scotland, what the oil and gas industries have done so successfully for the past half-century.
“The challenge faced by offshore wind now is one of efficiency gains – getting more power from the resource we have available.
“That’s a challenge which presents enormous opportunities for the UK supply chain, which has a chance to make an impact on a truly global scale.
“From the oil and gas, engineering and marine sectors through to advanced electronics, sensors and software: all have the potential to make existing wind farms more efficient, to develop the next generation of bigger, more powerful turbines, or to evolve the truly disruptive technologies that will dominate beyond our immediate horizons.”
Andrew – who has headed the Glasgow-based ORE Catapult since its inception in 2013 – joined Brian McFarlane, Head of Projects - Offshore Development at SSE, in spelling out his vision of the future for offshore wind ahead of Scottish Renewables’ event.
Brian, who is focussing on the Dogger Bank and Seagreen projects, told how “relatively simple tweaks” to the Contracts for Difference regime could help reap the cost-reduction benefits of increasingly large offshore wind projects.
He said:
“There’s no doubt these are exciting times for the offshore wind industry. SSE’s commitment to the sector is clear with the construction, with our partners, of the £2.6bn Beatrice project – one of the largest-ever private investments in Scottish infrastructure.
“Construction is progressing well onshore and the offshore work begins in the coming months.
“There is a strong pipeline of offshore wind developments in the UK, but many of these are significantly larger than projects like (588MW, 84-turbine) Beatrice.
“The vast scale of these projects can help to drive deeper cost reductions and really develop the domestic supply chain.
“However, this step-change in development also requires the industry and government to look at the CfD framework to ensure it can accommodate these larger projects whilst delivering more competition in the CfD auctions and improving deliverability. The mechanics of the CfD must be fit for purpose.
“The good news is that there are relatively simple tweaks that can be made to do this which will mean growth in jobs and business developing clean, secure and affordable energy for the years ahead.
“We are very positive about the prospects for the sector and look forward to the outcome of the upcoming CfD auction in April and further clarity on subsequent rounds in the years ahead.”
The ORE Catapult’s Andrew joined SSE’s Brian in highlighting the importance of a thriving domestic supply chain in developing the UK’s offshore wind fleet.
ORE Catapult boss Andrew said:
“Even five years ago there was a lot of scepticism about the comparative costs of offshore wind and other renewable technologies – and even whether offshore wind had a right to exist at all.
“The industry has worked so hard on cost reduction since then, with input from developers, OEMs and the supply chain, and the results, in such a short space of time, are remarkable.
“I’m excited about offshore wind because it’s no longer an industry with caveats hanging over it – it’s an industry with huge opportunities which is poised to do amazing things.
“The growth of the UK supply chain to date has been incredible, and something which was never achieved in the onshore wind industry, despite its scale. We now have UK companies which are expert in turbines, foundations, installation methods and much more – and there are still opportunities to do more.
“As the industry evolves it is going to understand the challenges it faces much better. If we look at power generation from gas, coal and nuclear, those are industries which have spent millions of man hours solving the issues they face and making things better, more efficient and extending the life of their assets, and that’s the next stage for onshore wind.”
Andrew and Brian will join Sarah Pirie, Head of Development at EDP Renewables, David Stevenson, Head of Offshore Wind at the Scottish Government and Ronnie Quinn, General Manager, The Crown Estate Scotland Portfolio, in the Industry Leaders Debate at Scottish Renewables’ Offshore Wind Conference in Glasgow on January 24.
The event is the second to be delivered in partnership with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and will focus on the roles of innovation, cost reduction, planning, infrastructure and supply chain in delivering the next phase of the UK’s offshore wind fleet.
Other speakers include:
Dame Anne Glover – Vice-Principal External Affairs & Dean for Europe at the University of Aberdeen and Non-Executive Director, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
Paul Wheelhouse MSP – Scottish Government Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy
Jonathan Cole – Managing Director, ScottishPower Renewables and Chairman, Offshore Wind Programme Board
Ray Thompson – Head of Business Development, Siemens Wind Power
Sebastian Bringsværd ¬– Head of Hywind Development, New Energy Solutions, Statoil ASA
Una Brosnan – Growth Manager, Offshore Wind, Power & Renewables, Atkins
Lindsay Roberts, Senior Policy Manager at Scottish Renewables, said:
“Offshore wind is a hugely promising sector in which the UK currently enjoys a world lead.
“Both Andrew and Brian are right to highlight the importance of our domestic supply chain, and with projects like Beatrice and the Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm now underway there is a real opportunity here for Scotland to use its offshore expertise to make waves globally.
“I look forward to hearing more from both speakers, and our other panellists, at the conference on Tuesday (Jan 24).”