Analyst says Vestas move shows UK offshore strategy risks

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey has made it clear the UK government is not prepared to give assurances at present

Vestas’ decision to cancel its plans to build a giant manufacturing plant for its new V164 offshore turbine in Sheerness should be a wake-up call for the UK government, claims Robert Clover, managing advisor at MAKE Consulting.

“I think that this illustrates the serious risks to the UK’s offshore strategy, which stem from the current lack of clear visibility on the details of CfDs (contracts for difference) and feed-in tariffs from the UK government,” Clover tells Recharge.

Although the Vestas decision was "not a massive surprise" it is very disappointing for the UK's wind industry, he adds.

A “clear line of sight on regulations” is a key precondition for investment decisions on new infrastructure projects, according to the MAKE analyst.

“Lack of visibility just causes investment decisions…

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