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Record year sees more than £900M invested in UK offshore wind manufacturing
Analysis published by RenewableUK shows that major investment announcements totalling more than £900M (US$1,220) in new factories have been made so far this year in the UK’s offshore wind manufacturing sector – the highest annual amount since the industry began in the UK in 2000
The findings are being highlighted on the first day of the trade association’s Global Offshore Wind conference and exhibition in London.
On 28 September 2021, JDR Cables unveiled plans to build a new factory in Cambois near Blyth in Northumberland, creating 170 jobs, as part of an investment of £130M which will also safeguard 270 jobs at the cable manufacturer’s existing plant in Hartlepool.
In March, GE revealed multi-million-pound plans to transform a former steelworks site on Teesside into a high-tech plant producing turbine blades, creating 750 direct jobs.
July saw two other major announcements: South Korean company SeAH Wind is investing £260M over three years in an offshore wind turbine monopile foundation factory at the Able Marine Energy Park on the south bank of the Humber creating 750 direct jobs. Smulders Projects UK will invest £70M in manufacturing giant offshore wind turbine transition pieces at its site at Wallsend in Newcastle Upon Tyne safeguarding up to 325 direct jobs.
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy said in August that it will be investing £186M in doubling the size of its offshore wind turbine blade factory in Hull, creating 200 direct jobs.
Also in August, GRI Renewable Industries unveiled plans to invest £78M in an offshore wind turbine tower factory on the south bank of the Humber creating 260 jobs.
As part of the offshore wind industry’s commitment to increase UK content to 60% by 2030, grants and business support worth £4.5M have been awarded so far this year to 76 supply chain companies by the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, a £100M fund set up by the industry and delivered by the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult to expand existing companies and attract new entrants into the sector.
The UK Government is playing its part with an Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support scheme which offers grants to companies making strategically important components such as blades, towers and cables.
RenewableUK chief executive Dan McGrail said, “This record year of investment in major British offshore wind manufacturing plants shows that the 2020s is the decade of delivery for the UK’s offshore wind sector.
“The offshore wind industry is making good on its commitments to create tens of thousands of jobs and attract billions in investment in state-of-the-art factories around the country. 26,000 people already work in this sector and that’s set to increase to 69,000 over the next five years.
“The Government is playing an important role in securing supply chain investment by providing strategic funding support to deliver the green economic recovery this country needs. This new funding to develop world-class offshore wind hubs in ports like Teesside and the Humber is a clear example of levelling-up in action.”
Riviera Maritime Media’s Offshore Wind Journal Conference will be held in London 16 November. Register your interest and access more information here
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