A SENIOR delegation from Great Yarmouth travelled to Westminster recently to highlight to energy minister, Claire Perry, the national importance of the borough’s growing offshore wind energy sector.
Arranged by Brandon Lewis MP, the visit was led by Cllr Graham Plant, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, together with Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, and Richard Goffin, port director at Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, together with officers from the borough and county councils.
The team gave a presentation to Ms Perry, setting out the significant investment that has already taken place in offshore wind farms and at the Outer Harbour, as well as the exciting ambitions and further opportunities at Great Yarmouth.
Cllr Plant said: “This visit was part of our ongoing work with Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, the LEP, the county council and other partners to maximise the opportunities for Great Yarmouth across the energy sector.
“Great Yarmouth is uniquely placed to capture for the UK the significant growth opportunities in offshore wind, as it is the closest deep water port to the Southern North Sea market and is globally-renowned as England’s offshore energy sector capital, with an extensive locally-based marine energy supply chain.
“Already, some of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms are being built and serviced from Great Yarmouth, and with Government support we can capture further opportunities to support local jobs and growth, and contribute to the UK’s national Industrial Strategy.
“Ms Perry was very impressed and receptive to what we had to say, and keen to work with us and other departments to explore what more the Government can do to help maximise our potential in offshore wind.”
Great Yarmouth is at the forefront of £39bn energy investment over the next 20 years. With Equinor already servicing the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm from its UK Wind Energy Centre on the river port, and the Outer Harbour serving as the assembly and installation port for both East Anglia ONE and Galloper offshore wind farms, Great Yarmouth has a growing reputation as an offshore wind hub.
This spring, Vattenfall and Peel Ports Great Yarmouth announced they were approaching a final commercial agreement about Great Yarmouth becoming the operations and maintenance base for two of the world’s largest offshore wind farms: Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas.