‘Unrealistic’ offshore wind targets face $100bn supplier investment hurdle
Policymaker targets for global offshore wind are “unrealistic” due to the tens of billions of dollars of investment needed near-term in the supply chain.
Policymaker targets for global offshore wind are “unrealistic” due to the tens of billions of dollars of investment needed near-term in the supply chain.
As we build this future, there is no simple choice between oil and gas on the one hand and renewables in the other, writes Katy Heidenreich.
Just a few weeks ago, the UK’s Energy Transitions Commission stated: “Rapidly scaling sustainable, diversified, and resilient clean energy supply chains is key to achieving net-zero targets on-time and at as low a cost as possible”.
The UK’s net zero ‘target’ is more than aspirational – the Secretary of State is subject to a legal duty to ensure that the UK reaches net zero by 2050.
Some time back I wrote that despite its self-appointed title as the oil and gas capital of Europe Aberdeen didn’t actually manufacture much of the sector critical technology.
"What we’re looking at here is probably more of an effort to get an earlier level of coordination within the industry."
One of the developers behind a major Scottish floating wind project has shed light on the key role it played in persuading a cabling giant to build a factory in the Highlands.
The offshore wind industry is undergoing its next big expansion. Licensing rounds are growing, interest in the new floating designs are high, and investors are active.
HLP believes project developers will struggle to meet demand based on current logistics practices and equipment provision.
A "desperate" supply chain employing tens of thousands of North Sea workers needs offshore contracts in the energy industry that are both fair and timely.
Asian nations counting on offshore wind farms to meet clean energy goals are facing an increasing shortage of ships for installing the massive turbines in the sea.
How is the North Sea supply chain being supported, amid concerns over crippling costs and poor visibility on opportunties?
After a tough few years for Decom North Sea (DNS), a new leadership team is now ready to give the organisation some deserved “love and attention”.
Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted (ORSTED.CO) expects all its suppliers to move to 100% renewable electricity by 2025 at the latest, in a bid to set a “new gold standard” for the energy sector.
Some miles off the coasts of England, Ireland and Scotland, deep under the sea, lie rock formations which could be capable of holding up to 78 billion tonnes of CO2.
Sir Ian Wood has said it is unlikely that the UK supply chain will take more than 20% of the major fabrication work in the early wave of ScotWind contracts.
North Sea operators have been told to improve after new figures exposed the number of invoices that are not being paid on time.
Crown Estate Scotland has confirmed that all 17 successful ScotWind applicants now have option agreements in place.
Some of the North Sea’s biggest players will set out their plans for moving to a low carbon future at an industry event.
The ScotWind licencing announcements on January 17th were certainly a welcome and hugely material vote of confidence in the future of the offshore energy sector in the UK.
ScotWind will unlock a raft of “fantastic opportunities” for the north-east of Scotland the head of a local energy transition organisation has predicted.
A renewables expert believes the scale of interest in developing floating offshore wind in Scotland proves that the technology is more than a passing fancy.
The Omicron virus variant has plunged the world into yet more uncertainty in recent months – but even so, 2021 will be remembered as the year when the pandemic loosened its grip on global energy markets and the supply chain could start to recover from last year’s 14% drop in global energy spending. Investments grew 7% this year, putting economies, energy demand and the supply sector on the road to recovery.
The offshore supply chain is crucial for the energy sector’s goal of achieving net zero, with commitment to a smooth energy transition and relevant opportunities from industry leaders vital to reach carbon neutrality, writes David Hutchinson, director with engineering and manufacturing specialist Pryme Group.
Aker Offshore Wind and Ocean Winds have promised a £235 million early investment package to support Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain, as part of their joint bids for the ScotWind offshore leasing round.