The Crown Estate have announced they they intend to invest up to £400 million of capital in the offshore wind supply chain, through the Supply Chain Accelerator Programme and the new Supply Chain Investment Programme.
The Supply Chain Accelerator Programme was launched in December 2024 when it awarded £5 million to 13 projects focused on floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.
In this, the third round of funding, businesses can apply for up to £1.5 million per project, with 50% match funding from The Crown Estate. A total of £50 million is available, with future rounds and further investment planned through the Supply Chain Investment Programme.
The Supply Chain Investment Programme will support the construction of port and supply chain infrastructure which is essential to offshore wind projects.
This programme will receive £350 million of capital, primarily to fund construction projects but potentially to also provide development funding for larger projects which cannot be funded by the Supply Chain Accelerator.
There are three target investment sectors for both Programmes: Ports, manufacturing (eg: turbine blades, mooring and anchors, operations and maintenance facilities) and Technology development/ R&D Facilities.
The Crown Estate – an independent commercial business in the UK that manages a vast portfolio of land, property, and marine assets on behalf of the Crown – manages the UK seabed, which includes leasing rights for wind farms, cables, pipelines, and sand and gravel extraction.
It has a strong focus on sustainability, investing in projects and partnerships that promote net-zero targets, marine biodiversity, and responsible land use.
The Estate’s cumulative offshore wind capacity of 11.8GW provides enough clean energy to power around 11 million homes
Ben Brinded, Head of Investment at The Crown Estate, said: ‘We will not unlock the full economic, social and environmental benefits of offshore wind without collaboration and investment into the UK supply chain. Building out enabling infrastructure is critical if we are to accelerate deployment off our coasts, derisk projects for investors and create local economic opportunities.
‘The Crown Estate’s proposal to invest up to £400m in the offshore wind supply chain through two targeted programmes is recognition of offshore wind’s vital role in the UK’s clean energy transition and the many wider benefits it creates.’
Tim Pick, Chair, Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, said: ‘We welcome The Crown Estate’s continued commitment to the offshore wind supply chain and are excited about the investment opportunities which will be available through their SCA and SCIP.
‘An aligned and collaborative approach with industry and other public investors will truly help the sector deliver on the ambitions of the Industrial Growth Plan – growing our domestic supply chain, accelerating and de-risking delivery of projects, and boosting technology leadership.’
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