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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany) is hoping to capitalise on the U.K.'s massive plans for offshore wind development by announcing that it intends to invest £80 million ($121 million) in the country to build a production plant for offshore wind turbines.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Peter Löscher, president and CEO of Siemens AG, with Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson. Siemens Energy, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) (Munich, Germany), is evaluating sites in the east and northeast of the country with a particular focus on harbour infrastructure. The new plant will employ up to 700 people. Siemens Energy has a strong track record in the growing offshore wind market, having completed 11 projects with a combined capacity in excess of 1 gigawatt (GW). Half of this capacity is in the U.K.
Last week, rival General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut) announced plans to spend more than £98 million ($148 million) to build an offshore wind manufacturing plant in the U.K., which the company claims could provide up to 2,000 jobs by 2020. The GE and Siemens announcements follow on from the government's recent announcement of a competition worth £60 million ($90.7 million) to modernise the country's ports in an effort to attract companies involved in building offshore windfarms. For related news, see March 25, 2010, article - U.K. Creates £2 Billion Green Investment Bank.
"With the new wind turbine production plant in the U.K., we're pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth markets for eco-friendly technology," said Siemen's Löscher. "In the foreseeable future, the wind power market in the U.K. will be characterised by major offshore projects, and we'll extend our market leadership with the new production plant."
The U.K. awarded its Round 3 offshore wind contracts in January this year, which will see more than 25 GW of renewable energy added to the grid in the coming decade. For related news, see January 11, 2010, article - Winners of U.K. Offshore Wind Jackpot Revealed.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband commented: "This is a vote of confidence from one of the foremost companies in the offshore wind sector looking to set up a base in the U.K.--more proof that we're exploiting the great natural resource that we have and creating the right conditions to attract investment. Siemens' investment will help create jobs and help us meet our renewable energy targets."
The U.K. wind market is a hive of activity at present, with numerous companies setting their sights on being well positioned for the huge investment in offshore wind expected in the next 10 years. Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Limited (MPSE) (London, England), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (TYO:7011) (MHI) (Tokyo, Japan), is planning to invest about £100 million ($151 million) in a new U.K.-based wind turbine research and development project by 2014. The government is backing the move with £30 million ($45.3 million), and the new facility will create up to 200 jobs. For related news, see March 1, 2010, article - United Kingdom Wind Market is Whirlwind of Activity.
Andreas Goss, Siemens' chief executive in the U.K., commented: "The U.K. government has created a stable framework to attract inward investment in renewables and offshore wind power in particular. The competition for land development, announced in the Budget last week, gives us confidence that the appropriate U.K. port infrastructure can be made available to support our production plans. With the anticipated growth in the renewables market, there is potential for expansion of the facility in the future."
IIR's Renewable Energy Database provides extensive coverage on the Wind Energy, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Landfill Gas-to-Energy and Utility-Scale Solar power plants throughout North America, and is now expanding coverage across the world.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Peter Löscher, president and CEO of Siemens AG, with Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson. Siemens Energy, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) (Munich, Germany), is evaluating sites in the east and northeast of the country with a particular focus on harbour infrastructure. The new plant will employ up to 700 people. Siemens Energy has a strong track record in the growing offshore wind market, having completed 11 projects with a combined capacity in excess of 1 gigawatt (GW). Half of this capacity is in the U.K.
Last week, rival General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut) announced plans to spend more than £98 million ($148 million) to build an offshore wind manufacturing plant in the U.K., which the company claims could provide up to 2,000 jobs by 2020. The GE and Siemens announcements follow on from the government's recent announcement of a competition worth £60 million ($90.7 million) to modernise the country's ports in an effort to attract companies involved in building offshore windfarms. For related news, see March 25, 2010, article - U.K. Creates £2 Billion Green Investment Bank.
"With the new wind turbine production plant in the U.K., we're pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth markets for eco-friendly technology," said Siemen's Löscher. "In the foreseeable future, the wind power market in the U.K. will be characterised by major offshore projects, and we'll extend our market leadership with the new production plant."
The U.K. awarded its Round 3 offshore wind contracts in January this year, which will see more than 25 GW of renewable energy added to the grid in the coming decade. For related news, see January 11, 2010, article - Winners of U.K. Offshore Wind Jackpot Revealed.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband commented: "This is a vote of confidence from one of the foremost companies in the offshore wind sector looking to set up a base in the U.K.--more proof that we're exploiting the great natural resource that we have and creating the right conditions to attract investment. Siemens' investment will help create jobs and help us meet our renewable energy targets."
The U.K. wind market is a hive of activity at present, with numerous companies setting their sights on being well positioned for the huge investment in offshore wind expected in the next 10 years. Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Limited (MPSE) (London, England), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (TYO:7011) (MHI) (Tokyo, Japan), is planning to invest about £100 million ($151 million) in a new U.K.-based wind turbine research and development project by 2014. The government is backing the move with £30 million ($45.3 million), and the new facility will create up to 200 jobs. For related news, see March 1, 2010, article - United Kingdom Wind Market is Whirlwind of Activity.
Andreas Goss, Siemens' chief executive in the U.K., commented: "The U.K. government has created a stable framework to attract inward investment in renewables and offshore wind power in particular. The competition for land development, announced in the Budget last week, gives us confidence that the appropriate U.K. port infrastructure can be made available to support our production plans. With the anticipated growth in the renewables market, there is potential for expansion of the facility in the future."
IIR's Renewable Energy Database provides extensive coverage on the Wind Energy, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Landfill Gas-to-Energy and Utility-Scale Solar power plants throughout North America, and is now expanding coverage across the world.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
