The wide range of Scottish companies now working in the offshore wind supply chain are showcased in a new report from Scottish Renewables.
The ‘Scotland Offshore Wind Sector: Supply Chain Impact 2018-19’ report provides a snapshot of 17 companies active in the sector, such as ports, fabricators, underwater vehicle specialists and helicopter transfer operators.
Scottish Renewables said the majority of the companies are home-grown SMEs.
The report “demonstrates not just the current state of the offshore wind supply chain in Scotland but also the opportunities which come from diversifying into renewable energy”, said Scottish Renewables chief executive Claire Mack (pictured).
She said: “Scotland’s combination of exceptional wind speeds and a history of innovation and engineering make it one of the best places in Europe to develop offshore wind, and we are keen to maintain that status.
“The projects which are now starting to build out show the scale of the prize for supply chain companies and this document was brought together to showcase just some of them.
“From digital and data to shipping and safety, the opportunities created by this relatively new sector are almost limitless.
“Industry is determined to work with supply chain companies at all scales to ensure they capture the maximum possible benefit from offshore wind for Scotland.”
Scottish Renewables said the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council, which is co-chaired by Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse and SSE Renewables head of offshore projects Brian McFarlane, is committed to increasing local content in line with the ambitions set out in the UK Sector Deal and developing a sustainable supply chain in Scotland.
It works with the two offshore wind clusters, which have been set up as geographically-linked groups of organisations working in the sector.
Both Scottish clusters welcomed the report’s publication.
Forth & Tay Offshore Cluster lead Isla Robb said: “Scotland’s offshore wind sector has achieved some major milestones in recent months, due in no small part to the hard work and determination of our supply chain companies.
“I therefore welcome this new report from Scottish Renewables, highlighting some of their recent achievements at home and abroad.
“I’m confident we’ll see ever more examples of success in the years to come as we continue to develop Scotland’s offshore wind capabilities to make the most of the opportunities presented by this fast growing sector.”
DeepWind Cluster manager Paul O’Brien said: “It is good that we can highlight the work of the Scottish offshore wind supply chain in this way to show that companies are winning substantial work in the offshore wind sector.
“These contracts often fail to hit the headlines and therefore tend to remain below the radar.”
The report is available to download here. It was released as part of Offshore Wind Week which runs from 18 to 22 November.
