UK Government Announces £55m Investment in Floating Offshore Wind

The UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has announced that it will be awarding a £55m grant to Scotland’s Port of Cromarty Firth to support the growth of floating offshore wind farms. 

The grant is the first of two announced under the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) and will make the Port of Cromarty Firth the first port able to make floating offshore wind turbines on site and at scale in the UK. 

It is expected that this initial funding will be married with additional match funding from other investors, with the port expected to become operational by 2028. 

Job creation forms a key pillar of the project, with 320 jobs created during the construction phase, and up to 1,000 jobs created once the port is operational. Job roles will span the construction, installation and operational phases of offshore floating wind turbines. 

Commenting on the investment, Energy Minister Michael Shanks, said: 

“Communities in Scotland and across the country should be powered by reliable, home-grown, clean energy from British coastlines - this is how we reduce our reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good. 

That’s why the government is getting on with building the infrastructure needed to roll out clean energy quickly, creating skilled local jobs in local communities and driving growth - the priority in our Plan for Change. 

The UK is already a world leader in floating offshore wind, but this support for Cromarty Firth will take us even further - creating hundreds of jobs in Scotland and delivering energy security for the UK”.

Alex Campbell, Chief Executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, added: 

“The Port is delighted that FLOWMIS funding has been secured for our ambitious Phase 5 expansion, which is a critical step towards creating the UK’s first custom-built floating offshore wind integration port. 

We believe this confirmation by the UK government shows the faith in our Trust Port status to deliver jobs and economic growth locally and nationally, and that the certainty from this announcement will unlock further investment in other Ports across the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport to boost their complementary plans”.

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