UK plan outlines next phase of offshore wind growth

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UK eyes next phase of offshore wind and vessels and port development required

Posted on April 7, 2023 at 4:22 p.m. by The Maritime Executive

A plan has been launched to form partnerships and guide the UK into the next level of development of its offshore energy sector. The plan was developed by Maritime UK, a trade organization representing all sectors of the maritime industries, in partnership with Renewable UK, the wind and offshore energy trade association, and supported by the Association of British Ports.

“The offshore wind industry is a major success story in the UK, with the largest operational fleet in Europe, the four largest individual wind farms in the world and the highest ambition of energy produced by 2030,” said said the British Minister of State to the new Department of Energy. Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP. “I therefore welcome the release of the Maritime UK Offshore Wind Plan, which highlights the many opportunities for UK maritime industries in existing and new offshore wind farms.”

The UK set a record in 2022 for the amount of electricity generated offshore. The country has 43 offshore wind farms with 2,652 wind turbines in operation and an installed capacity of almost 13.7 GW. Yet the government has ambitious plans calling for a fourfold increase in electricity generated offshore, from around 10% currently to a long-term level where there would be more electricity from offshore homes than what is used today in every home in the country.

UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, the technology innovation and research center for offshore renewable energy, identifies a significant opportunity for the marine industry as the offshore electricity sector grows. They say 149 Surface Operating Vessels (SOVs) will be needed to service Europe’s rapidly expanding offshore wind developments by 2030, and up to 309 by 2050. The plan highlights vessel construction opportunities as well as continued growth in UK Ports as manufacturing and assembly centers for offshore developments.

A separate task force report also highlights significant needs in ports and infrastructure. According to the Floating Wind Offshore Wind Taskforce, up to 11 UK ports will need to be transformed as quickly as possible into new industrial centers to enable the large-scale deployment of floating offshore wind. They call for investing nearly $5 billion in port upgrades needed to allow turbines with hub heights over 520 feet and their giant floating bases to be fabricated and assembled in coastal areas.

The Ports Task Force says that initially a minimum of three to five ports will be needed in Scotland to install turbines on the floating bases, with a further two ports needed to service the Celtic Sea. Additionally, at least four other UK ports will need to be revitalized for the manufacture of massive steel and concrete components for the floating foundations. More vessels and larger cranes will also be needed in the construction process for floating and fixed-foundation offshore wind developers.

Among the many remaining technical barriers according to UK Research and Innovation, a government-backed non-departmental initiative, is the need to improve turbine efficiency and reliability and reduce costs. They also highlight the challenge of finding ways to manage the intermittency of supply while ensuring that the development of the offshore sector does not harm the environment and is supported by local communities.

“We are at a pivotal time for our industry and this report reflects the importance of acting now for the benefit of the industry and the environment,” said Nigel Quinn, CEO of Bibby Marine. Part of the Bibby Line Group, the company that operates SOVs and offshore accommodation, has partnered with the groups for the launch of the offshore wind plan.

The new plan identifies priority areas of collaboration to ensure rapid growth in offshore wind power generation. It includes recommendations on how the maritime sector, the offshore wind sector and governments can work together to derive the most economic benefit from the growth of offshore wind in the maritime supply chain in sectors such as as ports, shipbuilding, crew and professional services.

“The maritime sector is already playing a key role in our collective efforts to deliver a cleaner, more sustainable future by the middle of this century,” said Robin Mortimer, Chairman of Maritime UK. “The Offshore Wind Plan outlines how ensuring energy security through the growth of offshore wind can drive economic growth and job creation across the country via the maritime supply chain.”

As part of the collaboration called for in the plan, they are making recommendations to reward higher UK supply chain content in offshore wind projects. They also call for reform of the planning system to allow green projects to be delivered more quickly and to encourage lenders and investors to finance the necessary vessels and infrastructure.

They highlight the need to work collaboratively to transport and rejuvenate ports, as well as enable manufacturing capabilities. They believe these steps are key to achieving the government’s target of 50 GW of electricity generated by offshore wind projects by 2050.

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