The government has agreed to help fund the expansion of a wind turbine blade factory in Hull, doubling its size.
Siemens Gamesa announced a £186 million upgrade to their Alexandra Dock site, the UK’s largest offshore wind manufacturing facility. The investment will create 200 jobs and solidify Siemens Gamesa as one of Europe’s leading providers for sustainable energy solutions!
The plan, which was originally outlined back in February of this year, is set to be completed by 2023.
It will receive a grant from a £160m fund, but it has not yet been released how much they are will receive.
The Hull plant is a major player in the renewable energy revolution. They have been able to produce more than 1,500 offshore wind turbine blades since their opening in 2016 and currently employ around 1000 people.
The giant turbines are not just used in the North Sea, but also exported around the world.
The new Siemens turbines are being supplied to the Hornsea Two project based off the Yorkshire coast, which will be one of the largest offshore wind power plants in history.
The 1.4-gigawatt plant is powerful enough to produce energy for more than 1 million homes.
Hull City Council leader Daren Hale today praised the decision to approve the funding for the green project as “fantastic news” on behalf of Hull, which he said is at “the forefront of the green economy revolution”.
“This additional £186m investment will create hundreds more jobs, and the expansion will support the recovery of the city post-Covid,” he added.
In the hopes of powering every home in Britain via offshore farms, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “The Humber region embodies the UK’s green industrial revolution, with new investment into developing the next generation of wind turbines set to create new jobs, export opportunities and clean power across the country”.
“With less than 100 days to go until the climate summit Cop26, we need to see more countries embracing new technologies, building green industries and phasing out coal power for a sustainable future”.
Siemens Gamesa’s UK managing director, Clark MacFarlane, said, “Our investment in our existing offshore blade factory, logistics, and harbour facilities in Hull has been a key driver of the growth of the UK’s world-leading offshore wind industry”.
Meanwhile, GRI Renewable Industries has announced that they will invest £78m to build a wind turbine tower factory at the Able Marine Energy Park. The new facility is expected to create 260 direct jobs in Killinghome, North Lincolnshire.
GRI Renewable Industries plans to supply initially 100 offshore towers a year, equivalent to 100,000 tons of steel, from the new factory.
Councillor Rob Waltham MBE, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said he was delighted the company had chosen Killinghome as its base.
“This latest development will create even more well-paid sustainable jobs – helping to create a more prosperous future,” he said.
Secretary of State for Business, Kwasi Kwarteng said, the Humber region was “vitally important for the growth of the UK’s offshore wind industry”.
“Our announcement backed by private investment will give a boost to this important industrial heartland, creating and supporting thousands of good quality jobs across the region while ensuring it is on the frontline of developing the next generation of offshore wind turbines”.
