The UK Government has announced the removal of tariffs on 33 industrial goods used in offshore wind energy manufacturing, a measure aimed at reducing costs for British manufacturers and accelerating the country’s clean energy transition.

The new tariff policy, which will come into force on 1 April, is expected to save UK manufacturers millions of pounds each year by eliminating import duties on key components used in the production of offshore wind infrastructure. The initiative was announced by the Department for Business and Trade and Chris Bryant.

According to the government, the measure will help companies produce offshore wind components at a lower cost, enabling further reinvestment in the sector and supporting the UK’s ambition to become a “Clean Energy Superpower.”

Offshore wind currently represents the largest source of renewable energy in the UK, and industry data based on the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) metric indicates that offshore wind projects are around 40% cheaper to produce and maintain than new gas projects.

Record investment in offshore wind

The tariff removal follows a record Contracts for Difference allocation round earlier this year. In January 2026, the government secured 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity and £22 billion in investment through the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7.

The projects awarded in the round are expected to generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of more than 12 million homes.

Among them is the Berwick Bank offshore wind project in the North Sea, described as one of the largest planned offshore wind developments in the world and the first new Scottish offshore project approved since 2022.

Zero tariffs under authorised use procedure

Under the new measure, tariffs on selected imported components will be reduced to zero through an Authorised Use procedure, a customs mechanism that allows UK-based traders to benefit from reduced or zero import duties when goods are used for a specific industrial purpose within a defined timeframe.

The system will apply to imported materials and parts used in the manufacturing of rotors, rotor blades, cables, and auxiliary electrical systems incorporated into offshore wind turbines and substations.

Eligible goods include materials used for rotor blades, electrical cables and low-voltage systems required for both onshore and offshore substations, as well as other turbine components.

The government stated that the conditional nature of the authorised use scheme will help protect UK manufacturers from unfair competition by preventing goods imported for offshore wind manufacturing from being diverted into other sectors where they could undercut domestic producers.

Officials said the measure demonstrates how trade policy can be used strategically to support industrial growth while advancing environmental objectives, ensuring access to the technologies and components needed to deliver the clean energy transition.