Siemens reveals UK wind plans
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Siemens expects to tap Britain’s growing demand for offshore wind turbines and create more than 700 jobs by building a new £80m production plant in the UK.
By 2020, offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of 32GW will be implemented in the UK.
Peter Löscher, president and chief executive officer of Siemens, said: ‘With the new wind turbine production plant in the UK we’re pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth markets for eco-friendly technology.
’In the foreseeable future the wind power market in the UK will be characterised by major offshore projects, and we’ll extend our market leadership with the new production plant.’
Siemens says it is currently appraising the suitability of potential sites for the production plant, both on the east coast and in the northeast of the UK, with attention focused on harbour infrastructure.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: ’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 UK.
’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.’
Readers' comments (5)
Peter Langridge | 31 Mar 2010 6:58 pm
No Mr. Milliband, WE are not exploiting the great natural resource that we have and creating the right conditions to attract investment, THEY are. If we had our own turbine manufacturer with UK orders to meet, we could also start to attract investment and win some export orders. Ho hum.
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randydutton | 1 Apr 2010 2:20 am
Neodymium. From where are you going to get it to make the permanent magnets? China has a monopoly of many rare earth elements (REE), and neodymium is one of them. China announced that in 2012 it no longer would sell the raw materials, rather it would sell the finished components. So will the Siemens jobs actually be in China?
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Anonymous | 1 Apr 2010 5:13 pm
randydutton - no. Yeah these Chinese are probably making the epoxy and carbon fibres too. And all the UK is left with is a manufacturing plant with 700 jobs....
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Mathias Hulse | 6 Apr 2010 11:21 am
I don't know what Mr Langridge is talking about. If you want it or not, we are part of a global economy where investors are truly international. Show me just one big corporation (apart from defence) that is 100% in UK hands. These days it does not matter who the investors are as long as it creates jobs and wealth.
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patrick taylor | 7 Apr 2010 2:29 pm
The Chinese will hold a big portion of the available resource but there is hope.
For an overview here is a link to the US Geological Survey report
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/rare_earths/mcs-2010-raree.pdf
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