Union Unite has questioned if there is an over-reliance on wind following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s policy speech on Tuesday.
The workers’ representative group said energy policy should include a ‘mix’ of supply, including low-carbon nuclear.
Assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “We welcome the prime minister’s conversion to offshore wind farms, but what it reveals is the poverty of ambition compared with France and Germany.
“The spending proposed by Boris Johnson pales into significance with the vast sums that our main European competitors have invested in this sector.
“The commitment for 60% of the turbines to be manufactured in the UK only highlights that much more could have been done to invest in this sector and the jobs boost that would have been created. This was highlighted by the closure of Vestas on the Isle of Wight a decade ago.
“The Johnson rhetoric will turn out to be a mirage without a strong economy, retention of skilled jobs and investment in apprenticeships – and this means that chancellor Rishi Sunak needs to continue to do much more to protect employment as we go through the coronavirus pandemic.”
Earlier today UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans for a £160m boost for the UK offshore wind industry in his Conservative Party conference speech.
Johnson reiterated the government is committed to raising its target for offshore wind power capacity by 2030 from 30GW to 40GW as part of a plan to “Build Back Greener”.
The £160m will be invested in upgrades to ports and factories, in northern England as well as Wales and Scotland, for building turbines and will create up to 2000 jobs in construction. https://renews.biz/63587/unite-sounds-caution-over-johnson-s-offshore-wind-pledge/
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