Commenting on today’s report by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, which shows that the UK economy could gain £6.7billion per year and create 150,000 jobs by 2020 in offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, RenewableUK’s Director of External Affairs, Jennifer Webber, said:
“This new report makes a cast-iron case for maximum political support and investment in the offshore wind and marine energy sector. But the jobs and the UK-wide economic reboot won’t happen to the full unless Government policy is 100% supportive.
“To make the most of our world-beating resources, the offshore renewables sector need certainty on policy, with Government standing four-square behind us to achieve growth at a brisk pace. We can’t risk confidence melting away, or other European countries will leap in and grab as many of the manufacturing opportunities as they can.
“In particular, we’re hoping the Chancellor George Osborne will make his support clear in his Budget Speech next week. The industry is calling on him not to freeze the Carbon Price Floor, as that would send the wrong signal about the Government’s commitment to encouraging low-carbon generation. Incentives to wean energy users off fossil fuels and make clean power more attractive should be promoted rather than scaled back”.
Press release, March 13, 2014