Offshore wind can deliver jobs, energy and economic benefit to coastal communities

Offshore wind was acknowledged as “one of the 21st century industrial success stories” by Energy Secretary Amber Rudd at the Offshore Wind Conference just last week. The amount of electricity produced from offshore wind has more than quadrupled over the last five years. The result is that wind power is playing a central role in the UK’s energy mix and the public is feeling the results.

Our industry has made major strides during the past 15 years – from a fledgling sector to one that now supports over 14,000 jobs in the UK. And, with the proposed Navitus Bay wind farm off the Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight coasts, even more potential lies in store. If constructed, it could deliver enough low carbon electricity to power 700,000 homes and offset 1,290,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. It would also create up to 1,700 jobs and bring up to £1.6bn to the region.

Offshore wind is new to the south coast and there are inevitable misperceptions about something new. Dorset South MP Richard Drax recently wrote on PoliticsHomeabout the proximity of the proposed Navitus Bay wind farm to the shore and the potential noise impacts. However, of the 23 operational offshore wind projects around the UK, 18 are closer to shore than Navitus Bay.

And, while the proposed wind farm complies with all existing noise regulations, it is perhaps even more telling that there has only been one noise complaint in the past 10 years for an operational offshore windfarm, and this was caused by a faulty fog-horn.

One common misperception concerns the Jurassic Coast’s UNESCO natural World Heritage Site designation. Contrary to some reports, this issue has not been examined by the World Heritage Committee and there is no official view from UNESCO as an organisation. WHS status was actually awarded to the Jurassic Coast on the basis of its unique geological interest, not its natural setting.

With all this in mind, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport concluded last year that the wind farm would have “no significant adverse impact” on the coast’s Outstanding Universal Value.

Tourism is clearly crucial to the region but independent studies have found that tourism would not be significantly impacted by Navitus Bay. This is unsurprising given there are currently over 1,000 wind turbines in UK waters, with the majority significantly closer to tourism resorts than Navitus Bay would be, and no significant impacts have been observed. The project has also offered the nine councils in the local area a £15 million fund to mitigate any minor tourism impacts that might occur.

The announcement that MHI Vestas Offshore Wind was awarded preferred supplier status for the project – helping to safeguard 200 jobs on the Isle of Wight – highlights the real benefits that Navitus Bay could bring. What is more, offshore wind jobs will help set the south coast up for marine energy jobs, as they become more commercially viable – benefitting the local economy and communities.

No infrastructure project of this size will be without its opponents but it is important that the debate we have – about how we keep the lights on as we also reduce our carbon emissions – is balanced and based on facts. Navitus Bay has the potential to deliver substantial benefits in the south coast and the UK in the form energy security and energy supply as well as skills and employment.