Commenting on the increased budget of £1.5bn for the UK Government’s green energy auction, Jessica Hooper, RenewableUK Cymru Director said:
“Renewable energy can be the engine that drives growth and wealth creation in Wales, and as a new, emerging technology, floating offshore wind is the jewel in the crown we need to succeed in Wales. It is our opportunity to kickstart a burgeoning new industry that unlocks thousands of jobs and puts us at the helm of our own homegrown, clean power.
 
While most government contracts from this latest clean energy auction will be available to develop fixed offshore wind power, we welcome the budget uplift from £105 million to £270 million for emerging technologies, like floating offshore wind. However, this is still not enough to deliver all eligible UK projects. Moving forward, in future allocation rounds, we need to guard against unwanted regional competition and ensure that as many new offshore windfarms as possible are built, including the test and demonstration sites in the Celtic Sea, to encourage innovation and drive cost reduction.”

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: RenewableUK