The Crown Estate has outlined a proposal to invest up to €400 million of capital in the supply chain to boost the UK’s offshore wind sector. The investment will support the construction of new infrastructure, including ports, supply chain manufacturing, research and testing facilities, to enable the deployment of offshore wind across UK.
The capital will be made available through two targeted programmes, which are now live. A new €350 million supply chain investment programme is being established to invest in the construction of new port and supply chain infrastructure. This will aid in the accelerated delivery of UK offshore wind projects.
Additionally, Crown Estate’s €50 million supply chain accelerator supports early-stage project development and is currently running its second funding round. Both programs will promote the creation of financial, environmental, and social value by adhering to strict investment criteria and aligning with the Crown Estate’s sustainable development principles.
REGlobal’s Views: Supply chain constraints have been recognised as one of the key factors slowing down the growth of offshore wind deployments across the globe. The UK is one of the global leaders in the offshore wind space and it is important for the country to have sustainability of supply chains for faster deployment of projects, and the recent investment proposal of Crown Estate will help the country to expand its supply chain capabilities.
