UK’s Offshore Wind Sector Seeks New Overseas Trade (France)

The UK’s successful offshore wind sector was promoting its expertise in Paris yesterday, as 40 British firms seek new overseas trade.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) hosted the forum in Paris, which brought together representatives from British and French companies as well as trade associations and representatives from the British and French Governments.

The Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) were also attending the event, along with a number of supply-chain companies, representing six UK regions.

Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green said:

“The UK is emerging as a world leader in the offshore wind sector. We have skills to offer in construction, aerospace, marine and oil and gas and I want to make sure we continue to build on our success.

“Government is working to ensure that the right conditions are created for increased business investment in offshore renewable energy, securing new jobs and economic growth. As part of that, we need new players in the market, who have the muscle to make big investments.

“I welcome the Paris forum as a chance for UK and French firms to talk openly and productively about the different ways in which they can work together for the benefit of both UK companies and French inward investors.”

Dr Steven Pugh from the Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) said:

“CORE brings together expertise from all over England, working together as one voice towards the same goal of supporting British business and promoting Foreign Direct Investment for offshore wind. The offshore wind sector has already seen dramatic growth and continues to be a great success story for the UK.

“The Paris event continues the theme of opportunity and collaboration, with the aim of forging new partnerships between supply chains and highlighting the 6 CORE areas as exciting and credible places to invest.”

In 2010/11, the UK wind sector had estimated sales of around £14 billion of which £1.6 billion was exports and estimated employment of around 94,000 people.

Earlier this year the Offshore Wind Developers Forum (OWDF) confirmed their vision for ‘the UK to be the centre for offshore wind technology and deployment, with a competitive supply chain in the UK, providing over 50% of the content of offshore wind farm projects’.

This sends a strong signal of the confidence developers have in the UK supply chain and reflects recent progress and announcements.

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Press release, December 7, 2012; Image: RenewableUK