Government removes tariffs on offshore wind components

12 March 2026

British manufacturers are set to save millions of pounds each year after the UK government announced the removal of tariffs on 33 industrial goods used in offshore wind energy production from 1 April.

The measure, introduced by the Department for Business and Trade, reduces the import tariff on specified components to zero when they are brought into the UK for authorised industrial use. The change will lower costs for companies producing equipment used in offshore wind farms.

Eligible goods include items used to manufacture cables, rotors, rotor blades and electrical systems used in wind turbines and substations. Importers must follow an authorised use procedure, which allows reduced or zero customs duty if the goods are used for a specified purpose and processed within a set time period.

The government says the policy is intended to support growth in the UK’s offshore wind sector, the country’s largest source of renewable energy. Industry figures indicate offshore wind is about 40% cheaper to produce and maintain than new gas projects under the levelised cost of energy metric.

The announcement follows investment secured through the Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7, which in January 2026 awarded contracts covering 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity worth an estimated £22bn. The government says this amount of generation could supply electricity to the equivalent of more than 12 million homes. One project included is Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm in the North Sea.

Commenting on the announcement, RenewableUK’s head of offshore wind Celestia Godbehere says:

“We’ve been calling for this change, which enables developers to invest more efficiently across the supply chain. It will create substantial savings for UK manufacturers, enabling more competitive bids at future clean energy auctions. This ultimately means lower bills for consumers, stronger UK manufacturing, and faster deployment of the offshore wind capacity we need to strengthen the country’s energy security.”

The authorised use condition is in place to ensure the tariff reduction only applies when imported goods are used in wind energy manufacturing.