Opportunities to invest in the growing offshore wind energy sector on the North Sea coast off the Humber estuary are being promoted by the Department for International Trade.
The DIT launched its High Potential Opportunity (HPO) for the Offshore Wind Deepwater Ports Hub (Teesside and Humber) at Offshore Wind Connections 2022, a major conference in Bridlington.
The HPO showcases the investment opportunities presented by the offshore wind energy sector on Teesside and the Humber, particular for companies looking to manufacture wind turbines, towers, blades, cables and other energy infrastructure.
The UK is a leading nation in the deployment of offshore wind and currently has the largest offshore wind assets in the world.
The UK offshore wind workforce is predicted to double from 15,000 employees in 2021 to a predicted 27,000 by 2030.
Offshore wind energy in the UK is poised to grow rapidly over the next 10 years, and Teesside and the Humber presents a unique investment offer in its ability to test, develop and manufacture the necessary components and subcomponents with the large quayside needed to deploy the offshore wind farms in the North Sea and further afield.
The UK government has committed an investment of £95m for two new offshore wind ports to be constructed in the Humber region and Teesside, complementing the existing Greenport site at Hull.
This will enable large manufacturers of blades, monopiles, wind turbines, cables, large installation vessels and other supply chain companies to co-locate at these sites. The region offers a wide range of testing facilities, ample physical space for investment and a committed offshore wind cluster to support investors.
Stephen Parnaby OBE, Chair of the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY LEP) and Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, both spoke at the Offshore Wind Connections conference.
“Offshore Wind Connections is a very important event for the offshore wind energy sector and the perfect platform for the launch of this High Potential Opportunity,” said Pat.
“As the world moves towards Net Zero wind energy will play a crucial role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
“We’re fortunate to have a well-established offshore wind energy sector on our North sea coast, and this HPO will help to cement our position as a world-leading cluster in this area.
“The low-carbon and energy economy is already worth £1.2bn a year to Greater Lincolnshire and employs over 12,000 people.
“The Humber Estuary is fundamentally connected with at least 25% of the UK’s energy production and the south bank of the Humber lies at the centre of an emerging offshore wind market, with the potential to create wholly new supply chains. It will become the biggest Enterprise Zone in the UK and will position the area as one of the major hubs for the renewables sector in the UK.”
Stephen Parnaby OBE said: “I am delighted to see the production and promotion of this Offshore Wind HPO to the overseas posts around the world. Collectively on the east coast we are at the forefront of offshore wind power generation industry globally, and this will continue to grow with the investment in new freeport infrastructure.
“The sector is already providing high-quality jobs and supply chain opportunities for our local companies and this will be further complemented by additional opportunities for industrial decarbonisation by providing renewable wind power to facilitate true green hydrogen production.”
The High Potential Opportunities (HPO) scheme aims to increase inward investment into the UK with the help of DIT’s global network based in 177 cities around the world.
