ReneweableUK, the trade association representing the wind, wave and tidal energy industries, has warmly welcomed announcement by the wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa that it plans to build a huge manufacturing base in the UK, employing more than 800 people.
Blades and nacelles, which include the key components to generate electricity in offshore wind turbines, will be manufactured at two plants in the Scottish port of Leith, in an investment worth £125 million. The base will also provide port logistics and Operation and Maintenance services.
The Prime Minister David Cameron described the announcement as “fantastic news for Scotland which shows that the UK remains an attractive place for foreign investment”.
Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said: “This announcement represents a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s rapidly-expanding offshore wind industry. We are greatly heartened that global companies like Gamesa are queuing up to open wind turbine factories in Britain, creating secure, well-paid jobs to support hundreds of families. Thousands more jobs for British companies, large and small, are being created in the supply chain too. The Chancellor said in his budget speech that Britain has to earn its way back to economic recovery – announcements like this are concrete examples of exactly how this will be achieved”.
To demonstrate the scale of the opportunities available in the sector, RenewableUK is holding the world’s first ever Global Offshore wind conference in London in June. 5,000 people are expected to attend, with more than 300 companies exhibiting. The Energy Secretary Ed Davey is a keynote speaker at the event.
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Offshore WIND staff, March 30, 2012; Image: gamesa