The first offshore wind farm in the UK was the Blyth Offshore Wind Farm in 2000, which gave us our first taste of offshore wind energy in the form of 2 turbines generating 4MW capacity in total. Today, the UK is a global leader in the sector, boasting 2,765 turbines with a total capacity of 14.7GW, accounting for approximately 20% of the world's offshore wind energy.
What Offshore Jobs do New Wind Farms Create?
The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) estimates that by 2026, half a million more technicians will be required in the wind sector. To meet energy targets, more projects need to be completed, and skilled manpower is the only way to achieve that.
Introductory courses for non-engineers, such as the ones from the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) or the University of Bergen (UiB), offer incentives and an access point for fresh talent to enter the industry. At the same time, apprenticeships for engineers, welders, scientists, technicians, and more are all available to fill core roles.
From the planning stages through to development, including specialist underseas operators and remote workers, there are many different jobs across all disciplines that offshore wind creates and sustains. In 2022,
the UK employed 26,000 people in offshore wind – meaning a near 170% increase is required to reach the 70,000 goal by 2026.
Finding the right entry point will give you access to this dynamic, lucrative industry.
Next Generation Offshore Wind Farms
The rapid expansion and ambitious targets of the offshore wind industry have significantly increased the demand for skilled professionals. Currently, numerous large-scale projects are in progress. Some of the upcoming offshore wind farms in the UK include:
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Sofia – 1.4GW capacity by 2026
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Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) – 0.45GW capacity by early 2025
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Moray West – 0.882GW capacity by 2025
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East Anglia THREE – 1.4GW capacity, construction began in 2022
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Dogger Bank – three phases, resulting in 3.6GW capacity
These five offshore wind farms alone are expected to deliver over 7.7GW of capacity, over 15% of the 2030 goal. Dogger Bank is leading the next generation of wind farms, with first power being produced in 2024. It is the world’s largest offshore wind installation, with 277 of the world’s most powerful 13MW
GE Vernova Haliade-X turbines – the biggest installed in European waters.
There are also other wind farms in development, which include:
How are Offshore Wind Farms Funded?
Offshore wind farms are funded through a combination of private and government-supported ventures. Additionally, government support is provided through Allocation Rounds (ARs).
Allocation Rounds (ARs) offer funding from an auction pot and ensure continued payments via the Administrative Strike Price (ASP), which is the fixed price per MWh for generated electricity. This price is determined through the Contract for Difference (CfD) mechanism, which remains fixed for the duration of the agreement.
Recently, funding for offshore wind has faced challenges. Increased production costs and inflation have led to investor withdrawals, project cancellations, and a lack of bids in Allocation Round-5 (AR-5). Many existing contracts have become unviable under the awarded CfD due to a 20-30% rise in costs. For instance,
the Norfolk Boreas project, expected to contribute 1.4GW to the UK's energy capacity, was cancelled due to a 40% increase in production costs. This setback occurs amidst growing concerns about meeting the UK's 2030 energy targets.
In response, the government has increased the ASP for AR-6 by 66% for offshore wind projects and 52% for floating offshore wind projects. The overall auction pot has also been significantly raised from £227 million to £1,024 million, with £800 million allocated specifically for offshore wind farms. This substantial increase in funding could lead to the creation of many more jobs and a significant boost in energy production, provided developers capitalize on this opportunity effectively.
Innovations and New Technology for Offshore Wind Energy
The reason why offshore wind energy can grow so fast is twofold. First, government targets and environmental incentives mean green energy is in high demand. The other reason is due to the plethora of innovations in the field. While larger concepts like floating wind have made a huge impact, there are other contributing factors to the field’s rapid development, such as:
Larger Turbines. From the 2MW turbines at the UK’s first offshore wind farm, to the 14MW ones we have today, there is a stark difference in the capacity of the turbines we use. This largely comes from the size and efficiency of modern turbines.
AI Maintenance. By performing automatic maintenance and predictive component failure, problems can be resolved before they happen, keeping uptime at an all-time maximum. To oversee this maintenance, perform the repairs, and even create the software, additional skilled workers are required.
Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs). Used wide scale for building offshore wind farms, ROVs provide an easy way to inspect foundations, topography, and cabling locations that would otherwise present a risk to human divers.
Despite the impact of these innovations, growth in the industry has slowed. We’re reaching the limit of the advancements that can be made under the current framework, and new ideas need to be brought to the table to ensure the industry continues to flourish. If you want to contribute to this change, get in touch!
Floating Wind Energy Farms
Although in their early stages, floating wind farms are quickly becoming a cornerstone of the UK’s energy landscape. By 2030, floating wind is set to contribute 5GW of the UK’s offshore wind capacity – 10% of the 50GW goal.
With the world’s first floating offshore wind farm, Hywind Scotland, being constructed in the UK in 2017 and generating 30MW capacity, this shows how quickly the field has grown. It even has the potential to expand to 34GW by 2040, keeping pace with the UK’s energy demands.
Three floating wind developments are in the works from Crown Estate, off the coast of South Wales and South West England. These developments promise a collective 4.5GW of capacity, and will form the largest floating wind farm in the world. Crown Estate have also committed to a further 12GW capacity of development down the line, greatly expanding their energy offering and contributing towards our long-term energy targets.
Challenges for Offshore Wind Energy Targets
The UK is predicted to have 20GW of capacity by 2025, putting us ahead of other world leaders like Germany and Sweden. However, this still requires us to over double that capacity (an increase of 30GW) in the remaining 5 years before the 50GW 2030 target.
Leaders in the industry are sceptical about the UK’s ability to meet its goals. According to a
survey by Newton Europe, only 63% believe the country will have more than 30GW by 2030, while a mere 4% believe it will reach 50GW at the target time.
The challenges offshore wind faces can be attributed to a few factors, including:
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Shortages along the supply chain
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Outdated infrastructure
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Economically unviable ASPs
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Cancelled projects like Norfolk Boreas
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Lack of resources such as skilled manpower, making it difficult to fill positions
Other barriers to the 2030 targets, such as slow development in transmission systems and the national grid. These will need to be developed faster to accommodate the number of offshore wind farms in the pipeline. Despite the challenges, offshore wind is a dynamic and growing sector which offers a huge number of benefits to everyone involved.
The Benefits of Offshore Wind Energy
Offshore wind energy is an incredibly progressive industry with a huge amount of potential for businesses, professionals, governments, and the planet. With offshore wind energy, you can benefit from:
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Lower noise pollution
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Less scenery disrupted by wind farms
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More powerful turbines
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Greater energy potential
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Large amounts of space available
Alongside these benefits, floating wind farms also offer a number of additional advantages to further enhance your efficiency and environmental impacts. These include:
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No reliance on seabed conditions
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More efficient installation and maintenance
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Can be installed further offshore
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Less impact on marine life and ecosystems
Working in this industry can be incredibly rewarding, and the sector is in need of additional skilled manpower to achieve the 2030 targets. Finding a role as an offshore wind contractor can be challenging despite this need for workers, but at
UTM Consultants we match contractors with developers to ensure every skillset finds the right place.
Specialist Recruitment for Offshore Wind Energy from UTM Consultants
Innovations in the industry, enormous projects, and world-leading technical skill and energy capacity puts the UK at the forefront of Europe in terms of offshore wind energy and sustainability efforts. However, slowing growth, budget problems, and lack of skilled professionals is acting as a roadblock to achieving our full potential.
If you’re interested in a career in offshore wind, or are looking for skilled contractors to work on your project,
get in touch today. At
UTM Consultants, we’ve been providing the industry with quality recruitment for over 20 years. Find out more about the industry – and our role in it – with some related articles below.