UK Government announces funding to kickstart floating offshore wind port infrastructure in Scotland and Wales

With £160 million, Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, announced that companies looking for government funding for port infrastructure related to floating offshore wind farms can apply for grant assistance.

This new funding is designed to assist with the government’s plan to deliver 1GW of floating offshore wind by 2030, a ninefold increase on current capacity. As part of the UK’s Ten Point Plan for a green revolution, the government hopes the money will unlock significant private investment in the port infrastructure required to bring large scale commercial floating wind to fruition. Including the ability to mass produce floating turbines on UK shores and reduce the need for imported technology.

The Prime Minister said, “Offshore wind is a UK success story in forging our Green Industrial Revolution. Tapping into this emerging sector will boost our clean electricity generation even further, creating jobs and green innovation across the whole of the UK.”

As the UK moves to net zero, floating wind is expected to be an important contributor. Allowing wind farms to be built further offshore where the winds are strongest. It is hoped this fund will have a similar success to the previous £160 million the government allocated to fixed offshore wind port infrastructure. That allocation has unlocked over £1.5billion of private investment in industrial centres such as Teesside and the Humber. Including significant commitments by multinationals to build UK based manufacturing facilities.

The UK’s Business and Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said, “This investment will help to attract further private sector backing to boost our industrial heartlands. It will create and support thousands of good quality jobs ensuring they remain at the forefront of the next generation of clean energy as we build back greener. Floating offshore wind is key to unlocking the spectacular wind energy resource we enjoy in the UK, particularly in the deep waters around the coasts of Scotland and Wales. This new investment will put us in a leading position to capture the full economic benefit of this fast growing industry.”

The government believes floating offshore wind represents a tremendous opportunity for coastal communities in Scotland. The deep waters off most of Scotland are prime real estate for floating offshore farms. It is hoped that Scotland’s position as a world-leading fixed offshore wind technology hub can easily be leveraged for the floating equivalents.

It is also hoped that the Celtic Sea offers a significant development opportunity for Wales. Deep waters and strong winds in this area provide the perfect setting for large scale floating wind farms. Wales has not seen as much investment as Scotland or the east coast of England for the fixed offshore farm industry. The government is hoping this funding can stimulate large-scale private investment in Wales and unlock the potential for the floating wind industry that the combination of the Celtic Sea and a proud Welsh industrial heritage has. With the potential to create thousands of jobs for the area.

With the huge potential floating wind has both within the UK and as a significant export, it is hoped the UK funding will kickstart the next phase of the offshore wind revolution.