Humber to play big role in the massive expansion of offshore wind in the UK

11/01/2010

Yorkshire Forward has welcomed Ed Miliband’s announcement that Consortium SMartWind has been awarded the contract to develop the Hornsea offshore wind farm zone, located just off the Humber coast, which is one of the largest Round 3 offshore wind farm zones.

The Humber region will play a significant role in the massive expansion of offshore wind in the UK, with the capacity to generate enough energy to power 2.7 million homes and potentially creating thousands of high value jobs in manufacturing, research, engineering, installation, operation and services.

The SMartWind consortium is a 50/50 joint venture between Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures. The Hornsea zone will have an installed capacity of 4GW and the level of investment is expected to be in the region of £12 billion demonstrating the sheer scale of this wind farm zone in comparison to Rounds1 and 2.

Commenting on the announcement, Mainstream Renewable Power’s Chief Executive, Dr Eddie O’Connor, said, “Through a combination of innovation and expertise and by working in close collaboration with The Crown Estate, we’re confident that we’ll deliver in record time. This is about delivering a whole new industry for the UK, one that provides sustainable, secure and indigenous power as well as tens of thousands of new jobs throughout the supply chain. This will have a major impact on the long-term economic development of the UK as well as positioning it as the global leader in offshore wind generation. It is our intention to work closely with local communities to ensure that this new industry brings real opportunities for jobs, training and new business”.

Two other zones which are in close proximity to the Humber estuary are Dogger Bank and Norfolk. Forewind, a consortium comprising of RWE npower, Scottish & Southern Energy, Statkraft and Statoil Hydro, have been awarded the contract to develop the 9 GW Dogger Bank zone. Scottish Power Renewables working with Vattenfall will be developing the 7.2 GW Norfolk zone.

These developments will bring significant levels of investment to the Humber, as well as business opportunities for the region’s manufacturing sector. Yorkshire Forward is working to attract a number of large wind turbine manufacturers who, along with their supply chain, are scrutinising the Humber’s existing ports capabilities and large land banks with deep sea water access.

In addition to attracting inward investment, Yorkshire Forward is supporting regional companies looking at the opportunities the offshore wind industry presents. Yorkshire Forward is hosting an Offshore Wind Supply Chain event in conjunction with The Crown Estate in Doncaster on Friday 26 February 2010.

The event will act as a ‘marketplace’ providing information and networking opportunities to help companies do business and get involved in offshore wind developments. The event will also provide the opportunity to hear from government and industry representatives about the future of offshore wind, and to meet Round 3 wind farm zone developers.

Cllr Mark Kirk, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council and Yorkshire Forward Board Member commented; "This is a great opportunity for the Humber and the region’s manufacturers as we are in a prime location to support the offshore wind industry given our proximity to the major North Sea wind farm locations. The scale of the deployment being planned even by the UK alone is vast. The engineering and the manpower involved with developing, installing and maintaining the wind farms is phenomenal.

"The offshore wind sector opportunity has the potential to at least match the North Sea oil industry in terms of industrial opportunity. We will ensure that our region’s businesses make the most of the opportunities this growing industry presents.”

Rosie Winterton MP, Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber commented; “This is a major and very exciting step forward. It’s a massive boost for our region’s economy.  The opportunities created by offshore wind energy are enormous – we are talking about potentially thousands of jobs.

“The expansion of wind energy production off our coast also puts Yorkshire and The Humber at the forefront of moves towards a low carbon future and confirms our position as a world leader in clean energy. I will continue to work hard with partners across our region to ensure we capitalize on this and other developments in clean energy production and technology.”  

Businesses interested in registering for this free event should contact the Yorkshire Forward events team on 0113 3949711/12, or visit www.yf-events.com/event/crown-estates/registration/