Industrial heartlands and coastal areas are to receive an economic boost as the government backs renewable energy firms investing in industrial communities such as the Humber, where Gamesa employs about 1,300 people making wind turbine blades.
The application window has opened for the Clean Industry Bonus, providing financial support for offshore wind developers who prioritise investment in areas that need it most, including traditional oil and gas communities – supporting highly skilled jobs such as engineers, electricians or welders.
The support also rewards developers who build more sustainable low carbon factories, offshore wind blades, cables and ports to reduce industrial emissions across the clean energy supply chain.
By encouraging developers to use less polluting suppliers, the bonus will help tackle the climate crisis while also addressing supply chain blockages in renewable technologies driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – supporting industry on the transition to clean, secure, homegrown energy that Britain controls.
The UK produces more offshore wind than any other European country, making it the backbone for plans to deliver a clean power system by 2030 and become a clean energy superpower. This bonus will help accelerate the drive for clean power – incentivising developers to build the infrastructure the country needs to end reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets and help keep energy bills down for good.
Since July, the government has seen £34.8 billion of private investment into UK’s clean energy industries. In November, the government launched its carbon capture and storage industry supporting 4,000 jobs in the North West and Teesside. ScottishPower awarded a £1 billion turbine contract for its East Anglia TWO offshore windfarm to Siemens Gamesa, including blade production at its Hull blade factory – the company employ over 1,300 people in Humberside.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “We are backing our manufacturing, coastal and oil and gas communities with good jobs, skills and private sector investment – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
“This is our clean energy superpower mission in action, kickstarting growth, delivering energy security and transforming towns and cities as part of the transition in manufacturing hubs such as Hull.”
