Natural Power is hailing the Offshore Wind Sector Deal agreed by the industry and the government as a major step forward which will generate significant economic benefits for the UK.
Jeremy Sainsbury OBE, Director at Natural Power, said: “The Offshore Wind Sector Deal is great news for the Natural Power team that offers a whole range of services that includes permitting and EIA coordination, ecological survey and assessment, site finding and feasibility, pre-construction and construction phase compliance, marine mammal mitigation, fisheries liaison officer, inspection services, due diligence, O&M and OFTO management. We are creating highly-skilled jobs and bringing investment into our offices and hubs across the UK and are actively recruiting to bolster our team of experts. The offshore wind industry is set to grow massively in the years ahead and we believe that Natural Power is well positioned to help developers secure the benefits this deal will provide to the sector.”
This is the first Sector Deal for a renewable energy technology. It puts offshore wind at the centre of the nation’s clean energy system, generating one-third of our electricity by 2030. By this time, 27,000 people will work in highly-skilled jobs in the offshore wind industry and the UK will attract £48 billion in investment in new energy infrastructure.
The UK is already the world leader in offshore wind, with more capacity than any other country, the biggest offshore wind farms and the most powerful turbines. The supply chain extends to every part of the country. As part of the Sector Deal, the offshore wind industry is investing up to £250m to develop the UK supply chain further, working with local enterprise partnerships, councils and development agencies. This includes an investment of up to £100m in a new industry programme, the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, which will help UK companies seeking to grow their business in the rapidly-growing global offshore wind market. UK companies are already exporting our offshore wind products and services to more than 20 countries. With the Sector Deal now in place, those exports are set to increase fivefold in value to £2.6 billion a year by 2030.
The Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council and Ørsted UK Country Manager for Offshore, Benj Sykes, said: ““This relentlessly innovative sector is revitalising parts of the country with transformational, sustainable opportunities, especially coastal communities, from Wick in the north of Scotland to the Isle of Wight, and from Barrow-in-Furness to the Humber. Companies are burgeoning in clusters, creating new centres of excellence in this clean growth boom. The Sector Deal will ensure that even more of these companies win work not only in the UK, but around the world in a global offshore wind market set to be worth £30bn a year by 2030”.
The Chief Executive of RenewableUK, Hugh McNeal, said: “The Sector Deal is about creating opportunities for the people who will be part of our 27,000-strong offshore wind workforce. We’re setting up a new body to develop the right skills for years to come, not only by offering apprenticeships, but also by helping experienced people from other parts of the energy sector, as well as the military, to make the change into offshore wind. We also want to ensure far more diversity in the industry, by reaching a target of at least 33% women employees by 2030, and by recruiting people from a wider variety of ethnic backgrounds.”
“This Deal will also ensure that the UK maintains its leading role as an offshore wind innovation hub, accelerating our world-class R&D in fields like robotics and AI, and cutting-edge technologies being put through their paces at our globally-renowned test facilities”.
Jeremy Sainsbury goes on to say that: “As Natural Power continues to expand its interests internationally, the expertise and services gained in the UK through this deal will be exported via our offices in France and the US who are also beginning to see growth in the offshore wind market.”
About Natural Power
Natural Power is an independent consultancy and service provider that supports a global client base in the effective delivery of a wide range of renewable projects including onshore wind, solar, renewable heat, energy storage and offshore technologies. It has a global reach, employing over 365 staff across 11 international offices. Its experience extends across all phases of the project lifecycle from initial feasibility, through construction to operations and throughout all stages of the transaction cycle.
