Labour's plans for floating wind offer massive manufacturing opportunities in UK

25 March 2024 - RenewableUK press release

Commenting on Labour’s plans to invest in floating wind, RenewableUK's Executive Director of Offshore Wind Jane Cooper said:

“The UK is a world leader in offshore wind, and you can travel to parts of Wales like Mostyn where people are already employed in roles maintaining the North Hoyle, Rhyl Flats and Gwynt-y-Mor wind farms. However, the development of floating wind at scale offers opportunities for us to build a far greater number of offshore wind farms in deeper, windier waters in the Celtic Sea, off the coast of South Wales and the south west of England, providing vast amounts of home-blown clean power.

"We're delighted that Keir Starmer, Vaughan Gething and the Labour team are so committed to developing floating wind, and that they recognise the huge economic opportunity this innovative technology offers for the south west of England and Wales, particularly if we can develop ports like Milford Haven and Port Talbot to ensure they’re large enough to house new manufacturing and assembly facilities for turbines as tall as The Shard and platforms the size of football pitches.

"There is currently a huge decision on the desk of Government when it comes to floating offshore wind. The UK could unlock investment in the Erebus wind farm this year, a world-leading project off the coast of Pembrokeshire, in addition to two other projects off the coasts of Scotland the north east of England, through its upcoming clean power auction this summer. However, the budget set out for that auction is too low, putting progress at risk, so we're calling on Government to revise this at the earliest opportunity.”