Offshore Wind Goes Mainstream as Costs Slide

Speaking at the Global Offshore Wind conference in Manchester, RenewableUK’s new Chief Executive, Hugh McNeal, said that offshore wind cost reduction “is on a scale that you might associate more readily with consumer electronics than with multi-billion pound infrastructure projects.”

In his first speech to the offshore wind industry, he described the renewable energy sector as “part of a new energy mainstream in Britain and around the world, securing investment, delivering transformative and revolutionary change”.

He pointed out that offshore wind is bringing more than £20 billion in investment to Britain in this decade, and noted that this has been achieved by two Conservative-led Governments.

McNeal said: “We offer a pipeline of offshore wind projects ready to be deployed and financed, which can help Britain meet its electricity needs in the future.”

McNeal urged the industry to highlight the economic benefits it is bringing to the UK, saying: “Offshore wind is revitalising and securing new investment in ports along our coasts. We need to show what we offer Britain and what we will increasingly offer around the world. We need to tell the story of our business success. We need to create a picture of the future we are building.”