Offshore wind energy is driving the UK?s green growth objectives

Issued last Thursday, the report also found that offshore wind turbines could represent a gross contribution to UK GDP generated by business of up to €11 billion a year, or €113 billion cumulatively between 2010 and 2050.

“This analysis confirms that offshore wind farm is a strategically important economic asset for the UK that can deliver long-term growth and energy security,” Benj Sykes, Director of Innovations at the Carbon Trust, said in an accompanying press release.

“We are in an excellent position to be a global market leader. If we seize this green growth opportunity, the UK will benefit from hundreds of thousands of new jobs, a booming new export market and billions of [euros] of business benefits.”

The global offshore wind energy sector is set to grow by up to 10% per year, said the report by the Carbon Trust, a not-for-profit company set up to help the UK move to a low carbon economy.

Based on a scenario of 1,150 GW deployed globally by 2050, with 45 GW of that being generated in UK waters, the report added the international offshore wind turbines sector could be worth up to €193 billion a year by mid-century.

The report looked at jobs and revenues by industry sector, including turbines, foundations, collection and transmission, installation and the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms.

“By 2050, the greatest contribution for the UK [offshore wind energy sector] will be created by the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms, followed by wind turbined manufacture and installation,” the press release said.

Saying the global green economy is already worth more than €3.4 trillion, the Carbon Trust added that UK wind farm related exports could create up to 80% of total new jobs in the sector up to 2050.

www.carbontrust.co.uk/news/news/press-centre/2011/Pages/offshore-wind-gg.aspx

By Chris Rose, blog.ewea.org/