The leader of Dundee City Council has said it is imperative that the city does not lose out on the offshore wind farm jobs bonanza.
Estimates suggest anything up to 145,000 manufacturing jobs could be created in the UK to make offshore turbines, while another 10,000 posts will be needed to maintain them.
A total of £100 billion is expected to be invested in offshore renewables over the next 10 years and Dundee, Tayside and Fife are all ideally positioned to capitalise on the new market.
Administration leader Ken Guild has said it is even more vital that Dundee secures a share of those jobs in the wake of Tuesday’s Budget, which delivered a hammer blow to the city’s economy by scrapping Labour’s proposed tax relief for video games developers.
Dundee with its deep-water port that provides easy access to the North Sea and sites earmarked for offshore development is regarded as being a prime site for construction.
It is hoped that thousands of jobs could be created in the city, which has seen its traditional manufacturing base slowly erode over the years.
However, it is thought the city stands before a new dawn that could transform its economy in the same way as Aberdeen’s was by the oil boom in the 1970s.
Mr Guild said, “What really bothered us with the Budget was the very pointed refusal by the government to even consider tax relief for the games industry.
“That immediately puts the industry at a disadvantage and threatens Dundee and the jobs that are here. That makes it more imperative that we do not lose out on offshore energy jobs.”
Mr Guild said the city is an ideal position to cash in.
“We are well positioned geographically, we have the advantage of high tides out at the wharf and the availability of factory sites for fabrication around the city, and a skilled workforce,” he said.
He added that not only does the port provide good access to the offshore areas identified by the Scottish Government for development, but Dundee’s central location offers good transport links to other parts of the country.
Offshore consultants BVG Associates say ports are vital to any offshore “hub.”
Associate director Julian Brown said, “The effective development of an offshore wind farm requires ports for three main stages first is manufacturing…next comes construction…finally, the need to operate and maintain an offshore wind farm over its lifetime means the owner will require a coastal base from which to undertake the necessary work.”
Possible sites for an offshore hub include Dundee, Montrose and the Fife Energy Park at Methil.
The Courier will be publishing a series of articles exploring the possibilities presented by renewable energy. As always, we welcome your opinions. Please comment below, email letters@thecourier.co.uk or write to The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee. DD4 8SL.