Navigating Offshore Wind’s Future: Key Takeaways from the Energi Coast Innovation Showcase

The NOF Energi Coat Innovation Group Showcase, held at Kirkleatham Walled Garden in Redcar, brought together a diverse range of energy sector stakeholders to spolight innovation, challenges, and opportunities in offshore wind (OSW).

Sophie Lloyd, Marketing & Communications Executive

One of the central themes of the day was the growing complexity of OSW deployment, from rising capital costs and investor caution to mounting pressures on supply chains. The recent cancellation of Hornsea Project Four has highlighted just how critical trust, financing, and timely infrastructure development have become.

Industry voices called for smarter supply chain collaboration, earlier engagement with contractors, and rethinking traditional client-contractor dynamics favouring long-term partnerships. There was also discussion on the need for greater standardisation and clearer policy direction from the government.

Still, the sector is far from stagnant. From the UK’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan and Contract for Difference (CfD) reforms to Scotland-specific initiatives such as SNIB and TIGGOR funding in the North East, there’s a clear sign of commitment to growth. The UK’s potential OSW pipeline exceeds 70GW, including groundbreaking projects like Dogger Bank, the first UK wind farm using High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission.

Floating wind emerged as a key area of innovation, with the UK targeting large-scale deployment by 2030. Although still in its early stages, floating wind holds enormous potential, particularly for harnessing wind resources in deeper waters that fixed foundations cannot reach. As the sector scales, it will require dependable backup power, flexible Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and robust service and maintenance infrastructure to ensure long-term reliability.

With 90 years of experience in critical power, Dale Power Solutions is well-positioned to meet these demands. Our Industrial Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems, scalable BESS solutions, and dedicated service teams provide the resilience needed for emerging and established offshore infrastructure. Our capabilities have been further strengthened by the 2025 acquisition of Calibre Power Electronics, expanding our engineering capacity and reinforcing our ability to support complex offshore projects.

It was inspiring to hear conversations on the future of OSW and how we can get there more sustainably, from addressing environmental constraints such as noise emissions to building smarter port infrastructure and preparing for surging demand across UK and EU markets.

Thank you to everyone who engaged with us at the event, and to NOF for organising an important day of insight, networking, and forward-thinking dialogue.

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