Expanding the UK’s onshore wind supply chain could add £56bn to the economy, according to a new report by RenewableUK.
Projections indicate that the UK’s current operating fleet of onshore wind turbines could potentially triple by 2050 from 16GW now to over 50GW. With a strong pipeline of onshore wind projects due to come online, the report from the UK trade body finds that if the domestic supply chain expands in line with these projections, onshore wind could contribute an additional £56bn to the UK economy, taking its total value to £154bn.
It’s not just new wind farms – much of the additional onshore wind generating capacity will come from ‘repowering’ the UK’s older onshore wind farms. This will mean replacing older turbines with newer and more powerful models.
Expanding the supply chain to provide high-value replacement parts for refurbishing these wind turbines is identified by the report as the easiest win for UK-based companies. It also finds that the greatest opportunities lie...