A new Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council report has set a clear baseline on Scottish content levels, as well as giving industry and government recommendations on a roadmap to increase the amount of work Scottish and UK businesses win from offshore wind.
Modelling in the report, by BVG Associates, highlights that while Scottish content in Scottish projects is 44% today, Scottish-based companies have been less successful at supplying into wind farms elsewhere in the UK. For non-Scottish UK projects, Scottish content is less than 1%.
The UK’s Offshore Wind Sector Deal, agreed between the UK Government and the offshore wind sector, has a commitment to grow UK content of offshore wind to 60%. To deliver this 60% UK content will require significant investment. The report recommends a strategy focused on manufacturing rather than installation, and identifies towers, blades, and floating offshore wind platforms as the most promising inward investment opportunities for Scotland.
The report also highlights that future floating offshore wind projects are likely to deliver higher levels of UK and Scottish content than fixed offshore wind projects, due to the increased likelihood of platform manufacture in Scotland, the opportunity to supply mooring systems from Scotland and because more of the turbine installation work is undertaken onshore, meaning that existing expertise from the onshore market can be used.
The report estimates that 15 new manufacturing facilities would be needed to deliver 60% UK content, six of which could be in Scotland. However, it also highlights that there are no compelling reasons for suppliers to choose to manufacture in Scotland compared to other UK locations.
