Expanding the UK’s onshore wind supply chain could unlock £56bn in additional economic value by 2050, pushing the sector’s total contribution to £154bn if policy support holds.

A new industry assessment from RenewableUK , highlights where that value will be created with manufacturing of blades, towers, steelwork, nacelles, drivetrains, cables and substation equipment identified as the biggest opportunity.

Around 70% of lifecycle spend already stays in the UK but there is scope to capture more by building out domestic capability.

The report points to refurbishment and repowering as the quickest wins. Replacing ageing turbines with newer models and supplying high value replacement parts offers immediate growth for firms, as capacity is set to rise from 16GW to more than 50GW by 2050.

To unlock that potential the industry is calling for targeted action. Priorities include attracting investment into UK manufacturing cutting electricity costs for industrial users and reducing taxes and tariffs on key components.

James Robottom Head of Onshore Wind Delivery at RenewableUK said: “Onshore wind is an engine for significant economic growth in the UK… more can be done to grow this sector and create thousands of new jobs by investing in new factories.

“Industry can play its part by focussing on the highest value components… while Government also has a key role in reducing taxes and tariffs and bringing down the cost of electricity.”

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “This report shows how onshore wind can deliver billions to the economy and create good jobs… delivering clean homegrown power and protecting families from volatile fossil fuel prices.”