Offshore wind industry unveils investment guide to boost supply chain growth

17 June 2025 - Offshore Wind Industry Council press release

The offshore wind industry has launched a new UK Offshore Wind Supply Chain Investment Guide at RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind conference in London today.

The guide provides a practical overview of opportunities in the UK’s flourishing offshore wind market; specifically the investment support mechanisms which are available to build up new supply chains around the country, with public and private finance working together to deliver economic growth. It has been developed by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) in partnership with RenewableUK and two Government departments: Energy Security and Net Zero and Business and Trade.

It builds on the sector’s Industrial Growth Plan which shows how the UK can triple offshore wind manufacturing and the provision of services by 2035, creating 10,000 extra jobs and attracting £25 billion in private investment by focussing on high-value components such as turbine blades, towers, foundations and cables, as well as building, operating and maintaining offshore wind farms.

The guide identifies and profiles a number of providers of financial support for offshore wind supply chain growth, including Great British Energy, the National Wealth Fund, Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, The Crown Estate, UK Freeports, UK Export Finance, the Scottish National Investment Bank, Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, the Welsh Government and the Development Bank of Wales.

By summarising how they can offer support, for example via loans or grants, the guide explains how these providers can help companies investing in manufacturing facilities or providing services. It includes case studies which show how these financial instruments are already being used successfully.

It also highlights offshore wind clusters throughout the UK – coastal regions where companies involved in the sector are already concentrated, and where there is an expectation that other firms will join them as the industry’s supply chain continues to grow, as set out in OWIC’s recently-published Regional Growth Prospectuses.

The guide also lists a wide range of initiatives to help companies to recruit new staff, and to create new products by working with the UK’s world-class research and development facilities throughout the country.

OWIC's Vice-Chair and Supply Chain Workstream Sponsor Clark MacFarlane, Chairman of Siemens Gamesa UK, said:

“In the UK we are developing more support for the supply chain. This guide cuts through the complexity to showcase the financial assistance available to deliver a significantly higher level of investment across the offshore wind sector. It will help all businesses to understand where to access support at every stage, from early development to construction and operation. It sends a clear message that the UK is open for business and is ready to partner with those who want to build the supply chain for the energy system of the future. It also supports the Government’s ambitions to increase economic growth and reach clean power by 2030."

The Energy Minister Michael Shanks commented:

“The clean energy transition is the economic opportunity of the 21st century — and offshore wind is at the very heart of Britain’s efforts to deliver a clean power system by 2030.

This guide is a valuable resource for investors and businesses alike. It sets out how public and private finance can work together to grow the UK’s offshore wind supply chains and support skilled jobs, reinforcing our global leadership in this sector.”

OWIC Vice-Chair Susie Lind, MD of BlueFloat Energy I Nadara Partnership said:

“With market visibility, stable regulation, and a deepening political commitment to clean growth, the UK’s offshore wind sector presents a compelling long-term investment opportunity. The key to this lies in the supply chain, with Investment in next-generation manufacturing, ports, and infrastructure enabling the sector to meet growing demand while capturing more value for the UK. This is not just about turbines in the water, it’s about factories, service hubs, and technology ecosystems that create jobs and drive regional regeneration. For investors, this is a moment of convergence: clear policy signals, maturing technology, and a global race for energy independence”.

“Backing UK offshore wind now means building the foundations of resilient, scalable returns for decades to come and it’s great to see this Investment Guide signpost the many growth opportunities.”

RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said:

“The UK already offers one of the most attractive destinations for investment in offshore wind in the world, we want to unlock and trigger more investment in our supply chain by fostering a better understanding of the various support mechanisms available in the UK.

Creating a strong offshore wind supply chain will enable the UK to build vital new clean energy projects faster. This guide sets out practical ways to achieve those aims and it’s a great example of how the Offshore Wind Industry Council, RenewableUK and the Government are working together to support businesses of all sizes to enter and succeed in this innovative sector”.

More details of RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind events are available here.

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Notes

For further information, contact

Robert Norris, Head of Communications
07969 229 913 | Robert.Norris@RenewableUK.com

1. The Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) is a senior Government and industry forum established in 2013 to drive the development of the world-leading offshore wind sector in the UK.