UK launches Floating Offshore Wind Task Force to seize world leadership in innovative technology

RenewableUK and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult have worked with the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to set up the Task Force. It will include leading companies who are operating and developing floating projects around the UK, senior representatives from the UK and devolved Governments and key stakeholder organisations such as The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland.

The UK is a world leader in floating wind with two projects generating successful in Scottish waters (Hywind and Kincardine) and the largest floating wind pipeline in the world at over 26GW. The Task Force’s vision is to ensure the UK maximises the benefits of this burgeoning industry by capturing significant market share not only in the UK by also by exporting our technology and expertise around the world.

The initial remit of the Task Force will be to define the enormous scale of opportunity for the industry and to produce a comprehensive report on how to make the most of this, which will be undertaken in two stages.

The first stage, scheduled for completion in the autumn, will analyse how fast new capacity can be built in UK waters and quantify the potential investment needed in UK ports and infrastructure to meet this demand. This will be followed by a more detailed series of recommendations next spring.

RenewableUK’s CEO Dan McGrail said: “The Task Force will lay the groundwork for the UK to become a floating wind superpower in the decades ahead. I’m very pleased that we have support from the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to convene this ground-breaking group which will chart our course to capitalise on this innovative technology. It will provide clarity on the strategic investments the UK needs to scale up and deliver a whole new industry, creating thousands of new jobs and revitalising ports and coastal communities around the country. We have the potential to make floating wind a century-defining industrial success story for the UK”.

Energy Minister Greg Hands said: “The UK is poised to lead the world in floating offshore wind, building on our proud maritime and engineering traditions. This new Taskforce will help power us into the future, making the most of our seas to generate clean, affordable, homegrown electricity”.