Siemens is investing more than 190 million Euros in new
offshore production facilities in Great Britain. Production of rotor blades for
offshore wind turbines of the 6-megawatt class is planned, with a new logistics
and service center slated for the town of Hull.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and Michael Suess,
member of the managing board of Siemens AG and CEO of the Energy Sector will
reaffirmed their dedication to the wind power projects late last week.
“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 favorable 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”, stated Michael Suess, member of the managing board of Siemens
AG and CEO of the Energy Sector.
The offshore wind market in Great Britain has high growth
rates, with an even greater potential for the future. Wind power capacity has
doubled there within two years, to roughly 10 gigawatts. By 2020, a capacity of
14 gigawatts is to be installed at sea alone to combine the country’s
environmental objectives with secure power supply. Projects for just over 40
gigawatts are currently in the long-term planning. British Prime Minister David
Cameron declared: “Our constructive political environment enables us to
provide new jobs for the wind power industry, together with a reliable and more
sustainable energy mix.”
Siemens and its British partner Associated British Ports
(ABP) will be investing a total of 371 million Euros on the project. These
investments will bolster the strong offshore market in Great Britain and will
likewise stimulate the country’s job market: 1,000 jobs will be created
directly, with 550 of these in rotor blade production and 450 in Green Port
Hull. Other jobs will follow in the construction industry and emerge indirectly
in the supply industry.
Siemens is a leading supplier for wind turbines, grid
connection and service for onshore and offshore sites in Great Britain. The
company has installed more than 2,200 turbines onshore and offshore there in
the world’s most significant wind power market with a total capacity of more
than 5,000 megawatts. Nearly half of the wind power capacity installed in Great
Britain is equipped with cutting-edge technology from Siemens. Siemens has a
workforce of around 14,000 in Great Britain, 1,500 of which are employed in the
British wind power business.
Green Port Hull is scheduled to take up operations at the
beginning of 2016, with rotor production scheduled for the summer of 2016. Full
capacity of the factory is to be reached starting at mid-2017. These
investments will support Great Britain as it pursues its environmental
objectives and to satisfy one fourth of its electricity needs from renewable
energy sources by 2020.
Wind power and the associated service are part of the
Siemens environmental portfolio. Around 43 percent of the company’s revenues
are provided by green products and solutions, making Siemens the world’s
largest supplier of ecofriendly technologies.