Siemens has announced its decision to invest
£160 million in wind turbine production and installation facilities in
Yorkshire creating more than 1,000 new jobs in the Hull
area.
The
revised plan will be spread across two sites comprising the previously
announced Green Port Hull project construction, assembly and service facility
and a new rotor blade manufacturing facility in nearby Paull, in East
Riding.
Siemens is investing £160 million across the two
locations and its port partner Associated British Ports (ABP) is investing a
further £150 million in the Green Port Hull development. The investment
will provide a huge boost to the UK’s offshore wind industry and the
Humber region. The combined investments of £310 million will create up to
1,000 jobs directly, with additional jobs during construction and indirectly in
the supply chain. The much anticipated investment is a landmark moment for the
UK offshore wind industry.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey said:
“This deal is excellent news for the people of
Hull and the Humber, the UK, the wind industry, and our energy security. We are
attracting investment by backing enterprise with better infrastructure and
lower taxes. As well as helping to keep the lights on and putting more than
1,000 people in work, this deal means we will help to keep consumer bills down
as we invest in home-grown green energy and reduce our reliance on foreign
imports. This deal shows our strategy for offshore wind is working; bringing
investment, green jobs and growth, and helping keep Britain the number one
country in the world for offshore wind.”
Michael Suess, member of the managing board of Siemens
AG and CEO of the Energy Sector said:
“Our decision to construct a production facility
for offshore wind turbines in England is part of our global strategy: we invest
in markets with reliable conditions that can ensure that factories can work to
capacity. The British energy policy creates a favourable framework for the
expansion of offshore wind energy. In particular, it recognizes the potential
of offshore wind energy within the overall portfolio of energy production. The
offshore wind market in Great Britain has high growth rates, with an even
greater potential for the future”.
How
offshore wind measures up (infographic courtesy of Siemens)