The Prime Minister has set out new plans to make the UK the world leader in clean wind energy, a move that will create jobs, slash carbon emissions and boost exports.
Boris Johnson announced yesterday that £160 million will be made available to hugely increase the country’s offshore wind capacity by upgrading ports and infrastructure in Northern England, Scotland and Wales. As well as creating 2,000 construction jobs in the short term, the investment will also enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030.
The UK is already the world leader in offshore wind, with 10% of the country’s electricity generated this way. This investment will enable offshore wind to produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country within ten years.
As well as building new fixed offshore windfarms, the government also plans to invest in floating windmills which are installed further out to sea to harness the strongest winds. The target is for this new technology to deliver 1GW of energy by 2030, over 15 times the current volume produced worldwide.
As Boris Johnson said, “Our seas hold immense potential to power our homes and communities with low-cost green energy and we are already leading the way in harnessing its strengths. Now, as we Build Back Better, we must Build Back Greener. So, we are committing to new ambitious targets and investment into wind power to accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050. This sets us on our path towards a green industrial revolution, which will provide tens of thousands of highly-skilled jobs.”
This is the first stage in the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which will be set out fully later this year. The UK has already cut carbon emissions more in the past decade than any similar developed country, and in 2019 emissions were 42% lower than in 1990. Experts say that further investment in low-cost green energy production will fuel growth while keeping costs and emissions low.