Renewable firms earn up to £20m via exports

Uk-based companies working in onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal energy earned up to £20 million each in 2017 from exports, according to a new report.

Trade body Renewableuk, whose members employ more than 250,000 people, said an illustrative sample of 43 British firms exported goods and services to 44 countries last year.

They struck 445 deals to work on 434 energy projects throughout the rest of Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Antarctica.

The Export Nation study found that the contracts were worth up to £7.5m each, with some companies earning £20m overall, and they range from exporting small onshore wind turbines to providing 80-metre blades and cables for offshore wind farms, plus consultancy services. l The Renewables Infrastructure Group has acquired an onshore wind farm in Solwaybank, Dumfries and Galloway, with total consideration for the project expected to be about £82m.