I recently took part in a panel discussion on offshore wind’s role in decarbonising Poland’s energy mix. The panel was organised by Scottish Development International together with British Embassy Warsaw and the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT). It was part of the 6th Fundacja DISE Energy Congress.
Whenever I meet people from around the world, they are often keen to understand what they can learn from the UK’s current leadership in offshore wind. The Polish audience was no different in that regard.
I shared that the UK’s success is due to four Cs: clarity, communication, confidence and competition.
The Government has provided stakeholders with long-term clarity – a vision and logic for offshore wind in the UK energy mix and strong, bankable frameworks for leasing, consenting and power purchase contracts.
Effective communications between the industry and Government enabled expectations to be understood. This started from cost reduction focussed first industry deal in 2012. It continued in the most recent deal focussed more on sustainable supply chain growth.
The clarity and communication have led to confidence within industry. Confidence has lead to investment to deliver volume, to learn and to drive down cost of energy. It is this cost reduction that has enabled the UK Government to increase its 2030 target from 30GW to 40GW. It is also what is taking offshore wind global.
Finally, auctions have driven competition at the highest level in the supply chain. The impact flows through to all decisions and is the driver of much of the recent cost reduction we have seen.
Every country has a different situation, different opportunities and capabilities, but I believe our experience in offshore wind is worth sharing with many in the growing global offshore wind community. Establishing a truly global offshore wind industry is in the best interests of the planet, the economy and the world’s population.
