MHI Vestas will repurpose the decommissioned Fawley Power Plant in Hampshire, UK, into a new painting and logistics facility for its 80-meter turbine blades.
According to MHI Vestas, this investment is a direct result of a strong demand for the V164 offshore wind turbine platform, and the new facility, where the oil-fired plant once generated power, will compliment the company’s manufacturing facility on the Isle of Wight where the 80m blades are produced.
The new facility is the latest in a series of manufacturing investments made by the company as part of its industralisation strategy, including an increase in production capacity on the Isle of Wight in the UK last fall, as well as in Danish manufacturing centers in Nakskov and Lindø earlier this year.
MHI Vestas CEO, Jens Tommerup , said: “As we saw in the recent CfD auction round in the UK, the cost of offshore wind continues to fall. This is fantastic news for the industry and for consumers, and also a great challenge for us to optimize our operations in every area. Our new paint and logistics shop at Fawley will improve our competitiveness worldwide and strengthen our UK industrial footprint.”
This development demonstrates the rapid industrialisation of offshore wind, sending a clear signal to policy makers that with market certainty and large-scale projects, manufacturing investment and clean energy jobs will continue to expand in the UK, the company said.
UK Energy Minister, Richard Harrington MP, said: “This new facility in Fawley, developed by MHI Vestas, is a further sign of the growth of the offshore wind sector in the UK. Our Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy set out the opportunities for Britain in moving from fossil fuels to a cleaner future. This development is a fitting example as it reuses the site of a former oil fired power station to produce parts for new clean wind farms.”
The new facility is expected to begin operations in April 2018, creating up to 50 jobs.