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New Energy World magazine logo
New Energy World magazine logo
ISSN 2753-7757 (Online)

Accelerating offshore wind development

19/7/2023

8 min read

Close up of wind turbine blads with sea and blue sky behind Photo: Octopus Energy
Calls to accelerate UK offshore wind development go hand in hand with demand for grid upgrade and development of a strong home-grown supply chain – here we see the Hornsea One offshore wind farm

Photo: Octopus Energy

Concerted action is underway to accelerate offshore wind development in the North Sea. However, ambitious expansion plans will need to address regulation and planning, technology innovation, declining government subsidy, grid connectivity issues and sustainability. New Energy World Features Editor Brian Davis reports.

The pace of development in the offshore wind sector has been remarkable. David Rowen, Chief of Business Development at Vestas, remarked at the recent RenewableUK (RUK) Global Offshore Wind conference that: ‘The offshore wind industry has gone from niche to a core energy system in just a few decades.’

 

What’s more, the UK is second only to China in terms of offshore wind development.

 

However, this is no time to sit on laurels. Climate Change Committee modelling shows we are at a critical point, and the industry needs to accelerate if it is to meet the UK government’s target of 50 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030.

 

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