Press Release
‘SELL-OUT ATTENDANCE’ AT OFFSHORE WIND SUPPLIER EVENT
28 January 2010
More than 350 people attended the Share Fair in Aberdeen, the European oil capital, showing the rapidly growing interest in the developing offshore wind power industry, in which £100 billion will be invested over the next decade. Today’s event was the first of a series of supply chain events organised by The Crown Estate, aimed at demonstrating the scale of the opportunity.
A further eleven similar events will be held across the UK during February and March. Such was the demand that the event, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, had to be expanded to accommodate all those wanting to participate.
The event provided a marketplace to enable those keen to become involved in the industry to link up with the developers who are now making it happen in one-to-one meetings and networking.
More than 6,000 turbines up to 180 metres high and with rotors 150 metres across will be sited off the UK coast – 1,300 of them in Scottish waters, which command 25 per cent of Europe’s wind resource. Annual capital expenditure will be 50 per cent more that the oil and gas sector creating up to 70,000 jobs, 20,000 of them Scotland.
The Crown Estate, which has rights on the energy development of the UK’s seabed out to 320 km (200 miles), is making it available for offshore wind developers through a series of licensing rounds.
Round 3, announced earlier this year, involves nine development zones which will generate enough electricity to power more than half of Britain’s homes and include Scotland’s Firth of Forth and Moray Firth developments which will have a combined generating capacity of 4.8 GW. Scotland has a workforce with unrivalled skills in the developing technologies to capitalise on these opportunities and it has a major advantage in installation and commissioning as well as long term maintenance.
Dermot Grimson, Head of External Affairs for The Crown Estate, said he was very pleased with the response to the events: “Both Inverness and Glasgow are also oversubscribed – and people are now grasping the scale of the developments.”
He said that following the announcement of the Round 3 developers earlier this month they could now get them together with the supply chain and address issues like infrastructure.
“People are now beginning to appreciate the scale and the effort which will be required. The Crown Estate has invested in excess of £100 million in Round 3 to remove as many of the risks as possible which could get in the way of development.”
He said he was pleased that the Scottish government, the UK government, Scottish Enterprise and Development Agencies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were all becoming involved.
Adrian Gillespie, Director of Energy and Low Carbon Technologies for Scottish Enterprise said his team has been overwhelmed by the response: “It has been really satisfying to see so many people from such a wide range of sectors coming along.
“Scotland is leading the way in setting targets for carbon reduction. We also have world-leading capabilities within our existing energy supply chains.
“Maximising the involvement of Scottish companies in offshore wind makes sense all round. It's good for the economy and it's good for offshore windfarm developers to have strong local partnerships in place. These events are a chance for businesses in Scotland to see the enormous growth opportunities that offshore wind deployment presents and what part their businesses may play in this.”
In his keynote address Lord Hunt, the UK Minister for Energy and Climate change said: “Following Round 3 the green light has really been pressed on offshore wind – the challenge is for the UK to take advantage.”
“This is a sector that will receive major investment. I think you can look to a stable, regulatory and financial regime for many years to come. As we come out of recession I cannot think of a sector in which we can have more confidence of a stable environment for growth, investment, skills and jobs.”
John Swinney MSP, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, emphasised that offshore wind could be as important to Scotland as oil and gas.
For further information on the events, please visit:
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