Offshore wind is great opportunity for Scarborough says GB Energy boss Juergen Maier
Scarborough should “seize the opportunity” offered by vast offshore windfarms says the boss of publicly owned clean energy company Great British Energy.
The town is the closest port capable of providing support services to Dogger Bank, one of the world's largest offshore wind farms, which is expected to be fully operational by 2026, and employ 2,000 people.
GB Energy chief executive Juergen Maier, who was meeting representatives from business, the harbour, council and University Technical College (UTC), said Scarborough could play a role in the transfer of thousands of crew personnel a year.
He cited Mainprize Offshore, a Scarborough family with a 350-year fishing history, which operates crew transfer vessels, which take technicians to offshore wind farms out of European ports. The firm estimates up to 3,640 people a year could come through Scarborough from the Hornsea and Dogger Bank wind farm clusters, supporting the economy through harbour dues, hotel stays, restaurant meals, taxis and other services.
"What we were discussing with the local business community and the local authority, is what is needed is a very clear strategy as to what role Scarborough wants to play in this and then develop its own infrastructure to support that,” said Mr Maier.
“(People who come) will stay in hotels, they’ll want a meal, go to a cafe, a restuarant.
"It’s good for the local Scarborough economy – I suspect some people who come might buy houses.”
He said “there’s money out there” to support development proposals but “the local community needs to be clear what it is bidding for”.
He said: “The offshore wind sector is employing 40,000 people, and that’s planned to grow to 100,000.
"I think the opportunity is now. The real accelerated path will happen over the next decade.”
Bob Mainprize, director of Mainprize Offshore, has been in discussions with North Yorkshire Council for two years, but said he felt frustrated its focus “doesn’t seem to be on the opportunities that are slapping them in the face”.
He plans to double the number of mariners to 200, and office staff to 56 over the next two years, and would like to employ as many as possible from Scarborough.
The company has committed £50,000 towards a 150-tonne boat lift in the harbour and is sponsoring a suite at the UTC.
Mr Mainprize said it would be a “deep shame” if his vessels couldn’t use his home port: “There’s around £450bn invested in renewables, so why isn’t the council taking it seriously?”
Head of harbours Chris Bourne said £1.8m repairs to part of the inner West Pier, and work improving the piling around the Bullnose was evidence NYC is “seriously committed to improving the harbour”.
A draft harbour strategy setting out the council’s vision for its three ports will shortly go out to consultation.
He insisted that new accommodation created by the West Pier proposals, which is being opposed by some harbour users, would help attract industries working in the offshore wind supply chain.
However he said Scarborough is “not ever going to replace Grimsby” (now the world's largest offshore wind operations and maintenance hub), adding: ”We are never going to be a major berth for crew transfer vessels.”
One sticking point for opponents to the West Pier plans is that currently they only leave space for a 70 to 90 tonne boat lift, which wouldn’t be big enough for Mr Mainprize’s smallest boat.
But Mr Bourne said the plans could be amended following planning approval to make one of the buildings shorter to fit the 150-tonne lift, which requires 15 metres of space.
He also confirmed that the boat lift would cost a total of £4m – £750,000 on the lift and the rest on strengthening the pier.
A series of grant funding opportunities had been announced including from the Crown Estate and officers are looking for funding to develop the wind farm supply chain.