The Prime Minister has set out new plans to Build Back Greener by making the UK the world leader in clean wind energy – creating jobs, slashing carbon emissions and boosting exports.
£160 million will be made available to upgrade ports and infrastructure across communities like in Teesside and Humber in Northern England, Scotland and Wales to hugely increase our offshore wind capacity, which is already the largest in the world and currently meets 10 per cent of our electricity demand.
This new investment will see around 2,000 construction jobs rapidly created and will enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and the supply chains, manufacturing the next-generation of offshore wind turbines and delivering clean energy to the UK.
Through this, UK businesses including smaller suppliers will be well-placed to win orders and further investment from energy companies around the world and increase their competitive standing on the global stage, as well as supporting low-carbon supply chains.
The Prime Minister has also set out further commitments to ensure that, within the decade, the UK will be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution as we accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050.
These include:
– Confirming offshore wind will produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030, based on current electricity usage, boosting the government’s previous 30GW target to 40GW.
– Creating a new target for floating offshore wind to deliver 1GW of energy by 2030, which is over 15 times the current volumes worldwide. Building on the strengths of our North Sea, this brand new technology allows wind farms to be built further out to sea in deeper waters, boosting capacity even further where winds are strongest and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of the next generation of clean energy.
– Setting a target to support up to double the capacity of renewable energy in the next Contracts for Difference auction, which will open in late 2021 – providing enough clean, low cost energy to power up to 10 million homes
These commitments are the first stage outlined as part of the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which will be set out fully later this year. This is expected to include ambitious targets and major investment into industries, innovation and infrastructure that will accelerate the UK’s path to net zero by 2050.
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Commenting on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s speech, outlining the government’s clean wind energy plans at the Conservative Party Conference, British Chambers of Commerce Director General Adam Marshall said:
“The Prime Minister’s ambitious commitment to clean, renewable energy will be appreciated by our business communities.
“Chambers in our coastal regions have been clear that offshore wind farms must integrate local firms into supply chains to support investment and jobs. This will be even more critical as local business communities try to restart and rebuild following the pandemic.
“Decarbonising electricity generation is crucial to the UK’s future, but it won’t happen without a route map that gives investors confidence. The Energy White Paper needs to be published.
“At the same time, businesses continue to face challenges in the here and now, and the economy remains on a knife-edge. The Prime Minister must take similarly bold measures to support jobs and improve the Test and Trace system to shore up business confidence in the months ahead.”
“The Prime Minister’s ambitious commitment to clean, renewable energy will be appreciated by our business communities,"
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