The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) has today (25 March) published its annual review looking at its key outcomes in 2024.
The SOWEC 2024 Annual Review: Scotland’s Offshore Wind Industry – Progress and Potential reflects on key pieces of work carried out by the council and its subgroups, while also looking forward to the year ahead.
Key outcomes from SOWEC
Some of the key outcomes for SOWEC in 2024 include:
- The award-winning CEMNID project funded by Crown Estate Scotland bringing together government agencies and industry developers to recommend best practice in mitigation and nature inclusive design
- Supporting the SOWEC Supply Chain group to appoint a Cluster Management Organisation to establish a new national supply chain cluster for Scotland
- The launch of the SOWEC Innovation Guide delivered by the Innovation group to help grow Scotland’s supply chain and speed up delivery
- Publishing the SOWEC Skills Guide in partnership with Skills Development Scotland to highlight the broad range of career opportunities available in the sector
- Continued progress on the Barriers to Deployment roadmap, dovetailing with OWIC’s Pathways to Growth ‘Focus Areas’ for a coordinated approach on steering offshore policy
Key outcomes from the Strategic Investment Model (SIM)
The review also outlines progress made by The Strategic Investment Model (SIM). All 38 Stage 1 SIM projects received advisory feedback on their propositions and have been supported in engaging with developers. From these, 10 priority projects have been selection for Stage 2- five port facilities, four supply chain proposals and one equipment project – and all have been offered facilitation support to progress their projects.
Priorities for 2025
Looking ahead of 2025, SOWEC aims to build on the success of last year’s work to deliver the following priorities:
- Working with Scottish Government and industry on developing and publishing updated Sectoral and National Marine Plans
- Developing Strategic Compensation Frameworks to enable a smoother and more certain consenting pathway
- Working with the UK and Scottish governments to make the most of available investment funds to gain and enhance strategic footholds for Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain
- Defining new people and skills models to ensure workers are equipped to deliver both offshore wind projects and a just energy transition
- Coordinating activity with OWIC to strengthen the overall UK position
Download a copy of the SOWEC 2024 Annual Review.