The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) has published a set of principles expected to underpin a new Collaborative Framework for Scotland’s offshore wind sector.
In August 2021 Professor Sir Jim McDonald published his Strategic Investment Assessment. He recommended that the offshore wind sector work to develop a Collaborative Framework able to support discussions between industry and Scottish ports on the creation of a Floating Offshore Wind Port Cluster.
The SIA foresaw that the framework of this agreement needed to be in place prior to the announcement of ScotWind leasing results, so that successful developers could take up the baton and work together with industry partners to finalise the agreement.
Effective collaboration would support effective port use, bring forward investment in making facilities ready, and help reduce delivery risk for individual offshore wind projects. The principles set out how companies are expected to work together, and practical steps such as sharing data and communication that can lead to better outcomes.
The next step is for SOWEC to seek feedback on the draft principles through engagement with Scottish ports and the wider supply chain. When ScotWind results are announced, developers with option agreements will be asked to join work to move the collaborative framework forward, importantly, adding a level of detail which will set out clear and measurable objectives to the framework and the principles as needed.
This report was coordinated by a working group of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council. SOWEC is a partnership between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. Co-chaired by Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism & Enterprise, and Brian McFarlane of SSE, its aim is to co-ordinate a Scotland wide response to the Offshore Wind Sector Deal.
