UK Offshore Wind Industry
As it’s the windiest country in Europe, it’s not surprising that the UK offshore wind industry has flourished. Furthermore, the UK is the global leader in the sector. Countries around the world are noticing what the UK has achieved and are hoping to follow suit.
According to statistics from RenewableUK, there’s currently over 2,600 offshore wind turbines in the UK, across 43 operational projects.
One of the key drivers of development is the Offshore Wind Sector Deal announced in 2019. This agreement between the UK Government and the offshore wind industry sets out targets and commitments to encourage innovation, drive down costs, improve productivity and more. As a result, the plan is expected to see offshore wind contributing to up to 30GW of generating capacity by 2030.
Wind energy is already one of the largest sources of renewable power in the UK and will be instrumental in meeting carbon reduction targets and creating a reliable, clean, affordable electricity system. There’s over 11,000 miles of coastline in the UK and currently only a small proportion is being utilised for offshore wind. Consequently, the potential for growth in the sector is huge.
The World’s Largest Windfarm
The UK is also home to the world’s largest wind farm. Located off the Yorkshire coast, Hornsea 2 consists of 165 wind turbines. The operation has a total capacity of 1.3GW, which can power over 1.4 million UK homes. Furthermore, the project has created thousands of jobs.
It won’t hold the title for long though! Once complete in 2023, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to power over 6 million British homes. This project is located off the UK’s North East coast and consists of three phases which total 3.6GW capacity.
Jobs in Offshore Wind
The UK offshore wind industry supports thousands of jobs across the country. This includes roles in manufacturing, project development, construction, operations and more. A huge variety of professions service the different components of an operational wind farm, such as, Wind Turbine Technicians, Wind Energy Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Crane Operators, Energy Analysts, Project Managers and Operations Supervisors.
You can more about offshore wind jobs in our recent article.
The future for UK Offshore Wind Jobs
Over 10,000 people in the UK are directly employed in offshore wind. Expected growth in the sector means an increase in employment opportunities too. Jobs in offshore wind are set to more than double by 2030 in the UK.
Since the wind industry has the potential to generate thousands of highly skilled and well paid jobs, a priority for individual companies, and the sector as a whole, is planning for the future workforce. This includes training newcomers, upskilling individuals, increasing diversity and improving the gender mix. The industry has a target of 40% women employed in the sector by 2030.
Our renewable energy team are here to support your business with offshore wind recruitment worldwide. Contact us today to find out how we can find the top talent needed for your next project.
