The UK government has accepted proposals to expand the CfD Clean Industry Bonus from Allocation Round 8.

Energy department DESNZ said developers will be required to sign up to an interim Fair Work Charter as part of the minimum standards for the CIB, which was applied for the first time to fixed bottom and floating wind projects in AR7.

Suppliers included in bids will also be required to sign up to the charter although exemptions will be available for small businesses and new facilities.

A third-party administered collaborative skills investment fund will meanwhile be created ahead of an operational fund being established in 2027, added officials.

A proposal to expand the CIB to cover onshore wind has also been accepted. However, this will not apply until AR9 when payments of up to £25m per GW will be available.

Onshore schemes entering the CfD auction but not applying for CIB will not be required to meet minimum standards.

DESNZ said it had received 48 responses during a consultation on the measures which opened last August. Legislation is due to be laid in parliament to implement regulatory reforms.

RenewableUK welcomed the changes.

The trade body’s director of renewable delivery Scott Young added: “The offshore wind industry is working closely with the government and trade unions to ensure that we maximise the number of high-quality, well-paid jobs we create through the introduction of the Fair Work Charter and a proposed new skills investment fund.

“There are currently 40,000 people working in the sector, and we need to build on this by recruiting and retaining tens of thousands of skilled workers in the years ahead to design, construct and operate the UK’s vast pipeline of offshore wind farms.”

Sourced by: reNEWS.biz