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The UK-based Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) stated in a new paper that the country will miss its 2030 offshore wind target by an entire generation, at the current pace of installation.
The think tank said that the UK was also currently missing out on thousands of jobs and billions for the economy due to its slow pace at manufacturing and installing offshore wind farms.
While there are a few reasons for the UK’s failure to install an adequate number of offshore wind farms, soon a critical barrier will be the nation’s low levels of manufacturing during a period of increasing global supply shortages. This will, IPPR believes, lead to the UK not meeting its offshore wind targets until 2048, 18 years too late.
According to the report, the country fails to be in the top three European nations in terms of manufacturing capacity in every major component of the wind supply chain – nacelles, blades, towers, foundations, and cables. The UK also doesn’t host any nacelle manufacturing facility or any major player specialising in wind towers.
The think tank believes that, if the UK had exploited its huge market for wind installation to like Denmark, Germany, and Spain, it would have generated up to an additional £30bn ($38.4bn) between 2008 and 2022.
However, the UK could reduce its import and energy dependence while reviving its manufacturing industry by producing more wind components domestically. IPPR argues that in less than five years the UK can and should build at least one additional blade factory, two new nacelle and tower factories, and two extra foundation factories.
An investment of £3.2bn in UK manufacturing facilities could generate tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, particularly in small and medium businesses.
The report says that the failure to capitalise on this opportunity would put net zero at risk, undermine the UK’s energy independence, and miss an open goal for economic growth.
“This shows how to triple our offshore wind manufacturing capacity over the next ten years, supporting an additional 10,000 jobs a year and boosting the UK’s economy by a further £25bn between now and 2035. It will enable the industry, governments across the UK, and other funders to better align their investments to boost green jobs and manufacturing in the UK by mobilising nearly £3bn of funding nationwide, with private finance doing the heavy lifting. This will bring a return to our economy of just under £9 for every £1 invested,” said Ajai Ahluwalia, head of supply chain at Renewable UK. |
