The National Infrastructure Commission today welcomed the Government’s new offshore wind sector deal as a “clear demonstration” of the potential scale of the renewables industry in the UK.
Energy Minister Claire Perry announced details of the Sector Deal including:
- An aim for offshore wind to provide a third of all UK electricity by 2030 – and an increase in the sector’s target for the amount of UK content in homegrown offshore wind projects to 60 per cent;
- Investment of £250million including a new Offshore Wind Growth Partnership to develop the supply chain in this country;
- An increase global exports to areas including Europe, Japan, South Korea and the United States five-fold to £2.6billion by 2030; and
- A target to increase the number of ‘green collar’ jobs in the offshore wind industry from 7,200 today to 27,000 by 2030, with a target to achieve at least 33 per cent women in the total offshore wind workforce by the same year.
In its National Infrastructure Assessment – the first ever for the UK – the Commission recommended aiming for a highly renewable energy mix, including offshore wind, with a clear target for at least 50 per cent of the UK’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.
Responding, a spokesperson for the National Infrastructure Commission said:
“Today’s offshore wind sector deal is a clear demonstration of the numbers of jobs that this industry could create – especially as it continues to grow both here and internationally.
“Our National Infrastructure Assessment – the first of its kind for the UK – recommends that Ministers aim for half of the UK’s electricity generation to come from renewables by 2030. Today’s deal emphasises how a move towards that could not just benefit our environment, but also our economy – and form a key part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.”
Notes to Editors:
Details of the National Infrastructure Assessment and its recommendations on energy can be found here
