Humber offshore wind sector ‘blows it out of the water’ at major conference

Opportunities to invest in the growing offshore wind energy sector on the North Sea coast off the Humber estuary are being promoted by the Department for International Trade.

The DIT launched its High Potential Opportunity (HPO) for the Offshore Wind Deepwater Ports Hub (Teesside and Humber) at Offshore Wind Connections 2022, a major conference in Bridlington.

The HPO showcases the investment opportunities presented by the offshore wind energy sector on Teesside and the Humber, particularly for companies looking to manufacture wind turbines, towers, blades, cables and other energy infrastructure.

The UK is also described as a “leading nation” in the deployment of offshore wind and currently has the largest offshore wind assets in the world. The UK offshore wind workforce is predicted to double from 15,000 employees in 2021 to a predicted 27,000 by 2030.

The UK government has committed an investment of £95m for two new offshore wind ports to be constructed in the Humber region and Teesside, complementing the existing Greenport site at Hull.

This will enable large manufacturers of blades, monopiles, wind turbines, cables, large installation vessels and other supply chain companies to co-locate at these sites. The region offers a wide range of testing facilities, ample physical space for investment and a committed offshore wind cluster to support investors.

Stephen Parnaby OBE, chair of the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY LEP) and Pat Doody, chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, both spoke at the Offshore Wind Connections conference.

Pat said: “Offshore Wind Connections is a very important event for the offshore wind energy sector and the perfect platform for the launch of this High Potential Opportunity,” said Pat. As the world moves towards Net Zero wind energy will play a crucial role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

“We’re fortunate to have a well-established offshore wind energy sector on our North sea coast, and this HPO will help to cement our position as a world-leading cluster in this area. The low-carbon and energy economy is already worth £1.2bn a year to Greater Lincolnshire and employs over 12,000 people.

“The Humber Estuary is fundamentally connected with at least 25 per cent of the UK’s energy production and the south bank of the Humber lies at the centre of an emerging offshore wind market, with the potential to create wholly new supply chains.”

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