The UK offshore wind industry can continue the rapid progress it has made so far with continued government support and stable long-term policy
4 min read
The offshore wind industry has been a major success story for the UK, due to falling costs achieved through research & development and large-scale deployment over the last decade. As an increasingly affordable source of low carbon energy, Andrew Scott, ETI Offshore Renewables Programme Manager looks at what other industries can learn from the offshore wind industry’s proven benefits of focused innovation for cost reduction.
The next phase in the evolution of UK offshore wind arrived earlier this week when the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announced its plans for long-term political support for the industry. As the largest investment for offshore wind research in 40 years, this welcome commitment will help to build on the country’s reputation as global leaders in the manufacturing, research and development of offshore wind technologies.
Our research has consistently shown that offshore wind can play an important role in the UK’s energy mix, and driven by research and innovation we have seen costs have come down significantly, approximately 50% over the last 10 years.
When the ETI began its work in this area, we modelled a least-cost UK energy system for 2050 to meet the country’s climate change targets. Then, offshore wind was seen as a hedging option to fill the gap if other technologies did not progress. But during the last decade we have seen its role change. Through focused innovation in the sector resulting in a significant cost reduction curve, we now see offshore wind as a core component of a least-cost balanced 2050 energy system, delivering a low carbon transition alongside new nuclear, carbon capture and storage, bioenergy and gas alongside efficiencies in the heating of buildings and transport fleets, both heavy duty and light vehicles.
ETI’s research into the potential of offshore wind as part of a future energy system, has focused on effective ways to reduce the cost of offshore wind production and in turn increase the industry’s economic investability. By targeting specific areas of offshore wind technologies, such as longer blades and floating foundations, the industry is preparing to further scale up capacity. Our most recent project to design, develop and commission a purpose-built, onshore test facility, capable of testing a complete wind turbine drive train and nacelle, will help reduce the technical and commercial risks of mass production and deployment, aimed as it is at the next generation of larger turbines. This is an example of how we have turned offshore innovation into action. Since 2008, we have been sharing learnings across the industry to reinforce investor confidence and fast track innovation in the areas where it can be most effective.
Other renewable technologies can learn a lot from the success of the approach taken for offshore wind technologies. There is a lot of synergy with marine energy, which has much to gain from both the knowledge acquired in this sector, and the choices made in terms of technologies. The desire to incorporate cost saving mass manufacturing techniques has driven the direction of innovation and could make significant cost saving in the marine market too.
A key aspect to the evolution of the industry was the work of the Offshore Wind Cost Reduction Taskforce. This bought the industry together to set clear cost targets and is a good example of an effective framework of collaboration for a common goal. We are seeing this approach replicated in other areas, such as the Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage Cost Challenge Taskforce, but also through the sector deals being announced as part of the government’s Industrial Strategy. The Nuclear sector deal being the latest example.
Just as turbines benefited from innovations in composite technologies developed in the automotive and aerospace markets, companies investing in energy storage will benefit hugely from battery technologies developed for the motor industry. Mirroring the progress made by offshore wind technologies, EDF is currently building the first new nuclear power station in the UK for a generation at Hinkley Point in Somerset, providing an opportunity to learn ‘by doing’ and identify cost savings for future nuclear power stations.
Over the next decade, we expect to see more innovation and shared learnings in offshore wind so that industry can increase its practical experience through further deployment, development and demonstration of new technologies, to contain operational costs. With government support and long-term, stable policy the offshore wind industry can continue the rapid progress it has made so far and replicate the strategy to benefit other renewables, while also supporting the UK to strengthen its position as a global leader in the sector.
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