Siemens has announced the company is pushing forward with plans to build its UK wind turbine factory before 2014.
The wind turbine factory, which is expected to create around 700 new jobs, is set to produce the Siemens direct-drive offshore wind turbine with a capacity of 6-MW (megawatts).
“The positive signal from the UK Government means we can push ahead with our strategy of investments in growth areas for renewable energy,” said Rene Umlauft, CEO, Siemens renewable energy division.
Funding importance
Andreas J Goss, chief executive Siemens plc and northwest Europe, emphasised the importance in generating funding in order to press ahead with the process.
“The funding to ensure appropriate port infrastructure is an important factor enabling us to accelerate progress with our £80m (around €91m) investment in a new wind turbine factory, creating around 700 new UK jobs and many more in the supply chain.”
The new 6MW turbines will “scale more than 150 metres, taller than Wembley stadium‘s arch and higher than the 10th tallest building in the UK”, according to Jens Peter Saul, CEO, Siemens Wind Power A/S.
The company has located its North West Europe Centre of Competence for offshore grid connections in Manchester and more than 200 green jobs will be created there between now and 2013, while Siemens expects to double its workforce in renewables by the same time.
