MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has announced today they will begin serial manufacturing of 80m blades for the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine next year.
The company is leasing the production hall from the Vestas R&D centre in Stag Lane from 1st January 2015 with hopes to start production of these ginormous blades by the second quarter of the year.
Safeguarding or creating up to 800 jobs
CEO Jens Tommerup said the agreement underlines MHI Vestas Offshore Wind’s commitment to the UK offshore wind market.
He said,
“We are extremely pleased to publically announce the first stage of our industrial strategy here in the UK, the world’s largest offshore wind market.
“MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will become the first manufacturer with the capacity to serial produce blades for future offshore wind projects in the UK, and we look forward to sharing further aspects of our industrial strategy in due course.”
MHI Vestas Offshore Wind say the announcement “is the first part of a wider industrialisation strategy in the UK which is expected to result in up to £200m worth of economic impact, including investment and safeguarding or creating up to 800 jobs”.
Davey: “Powering Britain’s economic recovery”
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said:
“The energy sector is powering Britain’s economic recovery – the UK is already the world leader for investing in offshore wind, and 2,250 green jobs were created this year in our wind industry. We are building on that success with our historic reforms to the electricity market.
“The blades that MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will manufacture are being designed, tested and produced in the UK. This is another great example of how our offshore wind industry is attracting global investment – not just in building the turbines themselves but right across the supply chain and right across Britain.”
World class R&D centre
Speaking of the Isle of Wight R&D centre, which opened in 2011, Jens Tommerup went on to say,
“The Isle of Wight is a world class R&D centre for developing and testing blades. The blades for the V164-8.0 MW prototype were designed, manufactured and tested at the Isle of Wight facility so we have developed the unique skills and processes necessary to manufacture blades which makes it a good location to have the capacity to ramp up to serial manufacturing.”
Vestas will continue to conduct research and development of blade technology on the Isle of Wight, including the testing and verification of the V164-8.0 MW which is being finalised by Vestas on behalf of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.
Thanks to OnTheWight reader Peter Milne for the heads-up.
