Julia Rose, The Crown Estate’s Head of Offshore Wind, writes about how The Crown Estate’s Leasing Round 6 will help to power thousands more jobs.
The North East Started Britain’s Offshore Wind Revolution – Now It Can Power Thousands More Jobs
From the UK’s first turbines in Blyth to a new generation of skilled work, the North East remains at the centre of our clean energy future.
Twenty-five years ago, the UK’s offshore wind story began in the North East.
From two turbines off Blyth to nearly 3,000 off our coasts today, offshore wind has grown into a truly significant industry.
The Crown Estate’s Head of Offshore Wind, Julia Rose (Image: Supplied)
Now it supplies enough clean energy to power the equivalent of half of all UK homes and supports tens of thousands of skilled jobs and businesses across the country.
The North East remains central to that story.
As part of our role of managing the seabed and delivering long-term benefits for the nation, we recently announced our intention to bring new offshore wind sites to market in the North Sea – Leasing Round 6 – capitalising on the skilled workforce, expertise and supply chain which is established in the region.
The proposed leasing round of around 6GW capacity or more will not only help to match energy demand but can also provide economic opportunity nationwide.
It could generate enough homegrown clean energy for around six million homes, potentially creating up to 10,000 jobs across the country and £12bn in economic value for the UK.
By working closely with combined authorities, local authorities and regional and industry stakeholders, we want to ensure investment in workforce training, port capacity and the supply chain creates the conditions for the North East and many other regions to benefit from this opportunity.
That’s why we’re already investing directly through our £50m Supply Chain Accelerator into exciting projects, as part of our wider ambition to invest up to £400m into the UK’s offshore wind supply chain.
In the North East, this programme already supports the Port of Blyth, which is using our match funding to enhance its capacity to support offshore renewables, and SeAH Wind in Teesside.
As a world leader in offshore wind, you’d expect the UK to have a world-class workforce – and we do.
In the North East and around the country, we have welders, assemblers, scientists, engineers, port workers, technicians, developers, consultants and supply-chain professionals operating across key sectors including manufacturing, consulting, installation and long-term operations.
These are careers for the future and by outlining our pipeline of potential offshore wind leasing for Round 6 and beyond, including in South West England and Wales, we aim to give visibility and confidence in this sector, its communities and the jobs it supports.
For young people – including those we met at the Energy Central Learning Hub in Blyth when we made our announcement – offshore wind has a lot to offer.
Jobs created through the planning, development, construction, operations or maintenance of Round 6 infrastructure offer a clear pathway into a thriving industry, building on the plentiful existing pathways to enter the sector.
Indeed, skills bootcamps co-designed with industry and colleges are already placing trainees into offshore roles and apprentices are embedded throughout the supply chain.
Our national offshore wind story started in the North East.
Now the region is strengthening that position, turning pioneering leadership into investment, energy security and skilled jobs for future generations, proving once again that it can play a leading role in our clean energy future.