40,000 more jobs heading to offshore wind as industry gears up to invest £60b in next five years

Source: David Laister · BUSINESS LIVE · | March 25, 2021

Existing clusters to feel the benefit as 'offshore wind will put the rocket boosters under the UK’s green economic recovery'

The many faces of offshore wind, as illustrated by the Humber cluster - one of four regions set to benefit from the industry influx. (Image: Humber Offshore Wind Cluster)

More than 40,000 jobs and £60 billion of private investment is forecast for the UK offshore wind industry in the next five years.

New research from the Offshore Wind Industry Council underlines the business response to Government commitments as the green industrial revolution takes shape.

The organisation forecasts that the number of people working in direct and indirect jobs linked to the sector will rise significantly, from 26,000 to over 69,800 by 2026.

The Humber, North East, East Anglia and Scotland are flagged as those to benefit the most.

It comes after huge funding was revealed for Teesside and the Humber, with a new blade plant and the realisation of a deep water port facility at North Killingholme.

Industry chair of OWIC, Danielle Lane, UK country manager for Vattenfall, said: “The UK offshore wind industry employs thousands of people in parts of the country which other sectors fail to reach and which need levelling up the most. This month GE Renewable Energy announced that it will open a massive offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing plant on Teesside, transforming a former steelworks site into a high-tech clean energy powerhouse and boosting our innovative UK supply chain.