- Today, 11 May 2022, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP announced details of signatories to the SOWEC Collaborative Framework, as part of her keynote speech at the All Energy conference and exhibition in Glasgow
- The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a partnership between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry, and is coordinating discussions between offshore wind developers and Scottish ports to maximise opportunities for strategic investment
- New ScotWind leaseholders have joined existing Scottish offshore wind developers in signing up to a Collaborative Framework Charter, agreeing to work jointly together to build a pipeline of supply chain work greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Today the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP announced the new signatories of the SOWEC Collaborative Framework Charter. The announcement was made as part of the First Minister’s speech at the All Energy Conference and Exhibition in Glasgow.
24 organisations, representing almost 25GW of ScotWind projects with an estimated value of £1.5bn per GW have agreed to work together in the development and delivery of this Collaborative Framework. These and other signatories are also responsible for a further 6.7GW of other Scottish projects either in construction or under development.
Work on this Collaborative Framework is being coordinated by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC), a partnership between Scottish Government and agencies and the offshore wind industry. Industry participants have signed up to an associated Charter, agreeing to support SOWEC’s work.
To capitalise on the opportunity of ScotWind, investment is needed in Scottish ports. 2021’s Strategic Investment Assessment, led by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, set out a series of recommendations for how Government and industry needed to work together to secure this investment. These recommendations have been accepted by SOWEC, and include a recommendation that developers work together through a Collaborative Framework to engage Scottish ports, with an initial focus being fabrication and manufacture for floating platforms and foundations.
SOWEC began work on the Collaborative Framework in autumn 2021, with developer members agreeing a set of principles to guide action. These principles have been reviewed and agreed by ScotWind lease winners and existing developers.
Alongside this work, the Scottish Government, enterprise agencies and SOWEC have been engaging Scottish ports to look at how best to involve ports in collaborative discussions with developers.
The 24 developers signing up to this Charter will now work jointly together to review the pipeline of Scottish offshore wind projects and identify ways they can work together to maximise how they work with Scottish ports to share capacity and space and also help underpin new investment.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Wind power is already the cheapest form of power in our electricity mix – it is certainly, for example, cheaper than nuclear power.
“Scotland is developing both our onshore and offshore wind capacity. We have set out our intention of installing a further 8 to 12 gigawatts of onshore wind capacity.
“And the last few months have seen significant progress in developing our offshore wind sector – The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council has co-ordinated a Collaborative Framework Charter, which is being published today.
“It has been signed by 24 companies and under the charter, those developers have agreed to collaborate, to create supply chain work within Scotland.”
SOWEC industry co-chair Brian McFarlane said: “Scotland’s offshore wind industry has made a series of commitments about working to support the Scottish supply chain. SOWEC’s Collaborative Framework is a practical way for developers and Scottish ports to work together, to help build a long-term pipeline of work, creating certainty that ports need to prioritise investment in higher value activities like fabrication. By working together developers can look for joint opportunities and also mitigate some of the risks faced in bringing together the infrastructure we will need to successfully build out the full pipeline of ScotWind projects.”
Highlands and Islands Enterprise Chief Executive Stuart Black, said: “Offshore wind offers huge potential for the Highlands and Islands and for Scotland. Along with emerging green hydrogen production, it’s part of our long-term strategy for the region. Nearly £300m has been invested in our region’s ports and harbours since 2010, and we now have a network of those serving the industry’s growth.
“Developing a thriving supply chain around all of this requires solid collaboration across all parties. That’s what the charter is all about. I’m delighted to be working with our partners to really make sure offshore wind delivers maximum benefits for Scotland’s economy.”
ORE Catapult Chief Executive Andrew Jamieson, said: “To build sustainable economic growth and local benefit from offshore wind will require unprecedented levels of public and private sector collaboration. Through co-ordination of investment in port infrastructure and supply chain development, we can deliver on the immense opportunity, and this framework provides the basis for building that truly coordinated approach to wider sector growth.”
Net Zero Technology Centre CEO Colette Cohen, said: “Collaboration across developers, the supply chain, ports and infrastructure is fundamental to accelerating the delivery of the ScotWind projects. Innovation will play a key role in reducing floating offshore wind costs; however, we need consents and grid now to accelerate project delivery. The ability to test and demonstrate these innovations today for deployment tomorrow is key if Scotland is to stay ahead in the global race.”
Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Adrian Gillespie said: “Scottish Enterprise fully supports this charter, further enhancing collaboration across developers, government and enterprise agencies in our shared interest in building a Scottish supply chain that will play a full role in delivering ScotWind and realising the billions of pounds of economic opportunities from these and future projects.
“We have supported the offshore wind industry for well over a decade and are aligned with the collaborative nature of the charter, which we will support alongside our sister enterprise agencies to create hubs of expertise around Scotland to increase manufacturing activity, investment and jobs in offshore wind.
“Ultimately this is about working smarter, making the most of Scotland’s manufacturing assets and port infrastructure to create a sustainable pipeline of projects to further our net zero economy through energy transition.”
Scottish Renewables Energy Transition and Supply Chain Manager Emma Harrick, said: “By signing the Collaborative Framework Charter developers have pledged to work together to enable the success of Scottish companies aspiring to work in offshore wind and to support the fundamental work to deliver significant supply chain growth which must start now. Scottish Renewables welcomes this announcement, which evidences real progress on the SOWEC Strategic Investment Assessment recommendations and is a vital forward step for supply chain development in Scotland.”
A number of Charter signatories have also set out their support and provided background to their participation in the Collaborative Framework.
EDF Renewables UK and Ireland’s Head of Offshore Wind, Scott Sutherland said: “We are pleased to be part of the new charter to support supply chain growth and will continue to support as many Scottish companies as we can when we build our projects.
“Our Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm is already using Port of Dundee, investing in Eyemouth Harbour with a new operations and maintenance hub built by Scottish firm, Muir Construction, and we are having foundation jackets built at Harland and Wolff in Methil in Fife.”
Céline Combé, Project Director, EnBW, said:“bp and EnBW are delighted to be signatories to the Collaborative Framework Charter. Collaboration is a key element for us in delivering our ScotWind project and this Charter further enables that. We’re committed to investing in Scottish ports, Scottish shipbuilding, and Scottish skills as an integral part of our project delivery. We look forward to working with SOWEC and fellow stakeholders to bring competitive and sustainable opportunities to Scotland.”
Floating Energy Allyance Chairman Peter Goderis said: “Floating Energy Allyance was established as a result of close collaboration between three developers with a shared vision of a successful floating offshore wind project in Scotland. We are therefore very happy to sign this Charter and build on our collaborative approach as we take the project forward, working closely with Scotland’s ports and supply chain and industry partners.”
Commenting on the launch of the SOWEC Collaborative Framework Charter, Lars Bender, representing the Mara Mhòr Offshore Wind Farm which is being co-developed by Fred. Olsen Seawind and Vattenfall, said:“ScotWind represents a major investment in Scotland’s green energy future, and it is key that this once-in-a-generation opportunity also stimulates sustainable growth of a world-class Scottish supply chain. To achieve these ambitions, a collaborative approach between developers, industry, and the public sector is needed. It is for this reason that Fred. Olsen Seawind and Vattenfall are proud to be signatories to the Collaborative Framework Charter, which will encourage partnership working and assist developers in finding innovative solutions to infrastructure or supply chain challenges.
“With an initial focus of the Collaborative Framework being on floating fabrication and manufacture, we look forward to working closely within SOWEC to maximise opportunities for the floating wind supply chain, allowing us to deliver value and sustainable jobs through the development of Mara Mhòr Offshore Wind Farm.”
Charlie Jordan, ScottishPower’s Offshore Director, UK and Ireland, said: “Supporting the Scottish supply chain to prosper and take a world-leading role in the commercialisation of floating offshore wind is a no brainer and a win-win for everyone involved. Partnership, innovation and collaboration will be key and we’re proud to sign up to the Framework and ensure our ScotWind projects – floating and fixed – help deliver on those ambitions. We want to make a long and lasting difference for people, businesses and communities across the whole of Scotland and deliver a clean energy future for us all.”
Simon Roddy, SVP Upstream Shell UK and Board member for Shell’s ScotWind Joint Ventures, said: “The North Sea is an energy asset that will be the backbone of the UK’s energy system as we transition and build renewable energy at scale. Now we need to accelerate our collaboration to unleash ScotWind’s full potential: 25 GW of clean energy. That means companies like Shell and our partner ScottishPower, as well as supply chain and our workforces, coming together to deliver net zero in the UK, while stimulating economic growth and jobs.”
Senior Project Manager at SSE Renewables, David Hinshelwood, said: “Along with our ScotWind consortium partners Marubeni and CIP we are delighted to become a member of this Collaborative Framework Charter. As international developers, we recognise the importance of industry working together to maximise the growth of the local supply chain. We are keen to support SOWEC and work with all key stakeholders to ensure that this framework accelerates the delivery of real economic stimulation for Scotland from ScotWind. We believe our project will play a significant role in helping to create a long-term sustainable local supply chain and develop the port infrastructure required.”
Full List of Charter Signatories
- BayWa r.e
- BlueFloat Energy
- BP
- BW Ideol
- Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners
- Corio Generation
- EdF Renewables
- Fred. Olsen Seawind
- Falck
- Elicio
- EnBW
- Magnora Offshore Wind
- Marubeni
- Northland
- Ocean Winds
- Orsted
- Red Rock Power
- RIDG
- ScottishPower Renewables
- Shell
- SSE Renewables
- Thistle Wind Partners
- TotalEnergies
- Vattenfall
Editors Notes
- The Collaborative Framework Charter can be found here. SOWEC is now working with ScotWind winners and other Scottish developers to put in place a framework with Scottish ports, with an initial focus on supply of floating offshore wind platforms.
- The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a collaboration between the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. SOWEC has a clear vision and goals which is focused on growing the sector, ensuring the Scottish offshore wind industry is more sustainable, competitive, and commercially-attractive, both domestically and in the global offshore wind market.
- SOWEC has committed to implementing the outcomes of the Strategic Investment Appraisal which includes supporting the Working Group of the Collaborative Framework that could help underpin the business case to maximise opportunities for strategic investment for a Scottish offshore wind cluster.
- SOWEC’s mission is to coordinate and grow the sector, ensuring the Scottish offshore wind industry is more sustainable, competitive, and commercially-attractive, both domestically and in the global offshore wind market.
- The Strategic Investment Assessment which set out a series of recommendations to SOWEC on supporting Scottish supply chain growth can be found here.
- The formal announcement of confirmation of the ScotWind leasing round can be found here and more information about each project’s ScotWind Supply Chain Development Statement commitments can be found here.
SOURCE: Offshore wind SCOTLAND
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