SOWEC appoints two new subgroup chairs to drive forward offshore wind
The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council has appointed two senior industry figures to lead key strands of its work to drive progress in the offshore wind sector.
Since February 2024, the Strategic Investment Model Working Group has been working to ensure that the 38 projects which reached the end of Stage 1 continue to move forward.
On the 19th February 2023, the Strategic Investment Model Working Group published the list of 38 projects that had successfully completed Stage 1 (excluding the 6 requesting confidentiality) and details of two of the three pilot projects moving into Stage 2 of the SIM process.
All SIM projects have now been given details of next steps through the SIM. This notice sets out further details on the categories of project going forward in the SIM:
Over the next few months, offshore wind developers and partners will work collaboratively alongside each project to address how to best support it accelerate forward to be ready in time for offshore wind build out in Scotland.
A number of projects are being routed to support outside the SIM that can better assist. These Referral projects may require further development before a collaborative investment could be looked at. These projects are being referred to their local enterprise agency or other organisation to continue discussions on ways in which the project can be supported. Each of these projects has produced a prospectus and sector feedback to help in future market engagement from their Stage 1 involvement.
Details of the announced priority and progress projects are set out below:
Gillian Morrison, Supply Chain Development Manager at Crown Estate Scotland, and Chair of the SIM Working Group said “the Strategic Investment Model is successfully demonstrating that collaboration can help prioritise sector effort and focus. Our next task is to accelerate action to support infrastructure and supply chain growth of chosen projects.
“Out of the 45 projects that applied to the SIM, we now have 10 priority projects identified. These are the projects seen as offering best opportunities for collaborative approaches between offshore wind developers, Government Agencies, investors, ports and supply chain companies to unlock investment.
“A further 19 projects are also being selected to progress into Stage 2. This wider group also offer benefits and opportunities for collaboration. To ensure that these port and supply chain projects can keep moving forward, the SIM will be working to help each of these coordinate collaborative discussions directly with relevant offshore wind projects.
”In the weeks and months ahead, SOWEC will work alongside the different projects, agencies and offshore wind developers. Our goal is to help each project accelerate and get the confidence it needs to reach final investment decision and commit to growth in Scotland. Through this shared ambition we can raise our sights and secure the investment we need for our supply chain.”
The Stage 2 process is ongoing, with productive initial meetings held for the first three priority projects. There is significant learning coming from this process that will help catalyse future sector collaboration in Scotland.
History of the SIM
In May 2023, the Strategic Investment Model launched a call for proposals for port infrastructure and top tier supply chain projects to be built in Scotland. The SIM came out of sector work to develop a “Collaborative Framework”, and has involved Scottish offshore wind projects, including all ScotWind projects, plus the Scottish Government and its agencies.
By June 2023, 45 proposals were received in the first SIM application process which was launched at All Energy in May 2023. The SIM Working Group and programme manager Arup then worked with these 45 proponents to review eligibility. 38 projects successfully concluded Stage 1. Arup supported each of these infrastructure and supply chain projects to develop a prospectus setting out its offer to the offshore wind market.
Between December 2023 and mid January 2024, offshore wind developers within the SIM reviewed each prospectus. These offshore wind projects have returned expressions of interest to the SIM identifying which of the infrastructure and supply chain projects they wish to meet with collectively to discuss their supply chain needs.
Following an initial review of these expressions of interest, three initial projects were invited for exploratory meetings to look at how best they can be supported through the SIM in its Stage 2 process. Initial meetings took place across February/March 2024.
Notes
To follow up on this release please contact Maf Smith, Lumen Energy & Environment, maf.smith@lumenee.cc / 07768 531501
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