New UK Program Targets Offshore Wind Supply Chain Boost

The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) and the Sharing in Growth program have joined forces to develop a new program that aims to improve the competitiveness of the UK offshore wind supply chain.

The GBP 1.5 million Sharing in Growth – Offshore Wind program is expected to support the industry in meeting the targets laid out in the Sector Deal to increase UK content in new wind farm developments and achieve a fivefold increase in exports to GBP 2.6 billion a year by 2030.

A pilot program for offshore wind will launch in January 2020 working with between five and ten companies.

Following a review of the participants’ business needs, an agreed program of support will be delivered, tailored to the needs of the companies with the aim of increasing competitiveness and productivity within the sector.

The program will last for between one and three years depending on the needs of the company and can involve dedicated advisors, operations and manufacturing experts.

“The OWGP was established as part of the Offshore Wind Sector Deal to promote closer collaboration across the supply chain, implement structured productivity improvement programmes and facilitate shared growth opportunities between developers and their supply chain,” said Andrew Macdonald, OWGP Program Director.

“This partnership with the Sharing in Growth Programme provides the ideal framework within which we can work with a cohort of companies to increase their competitiveness, supporting continued cost reduction in offshore wind whilst simultaneously securing long-term economic benefits.”

To remind, the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) launched the OWGP in June. Delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, it has a budget of GBP 100 million over a ten-year period and promotes closer collaboration across the supply chain and facilitates shared growth opportunities between developers and the supply chain.