GE to create 1,900 clean energy jobs in UK offshore wind by 2020 13 April 2010

GE says it will develop a new offshore wind turbine manufacturing site in the UK, with a planned investment of €110 million.

The company also says it will locate design, application and service engineering in the UK, creating up to 1,900 new clean energy jobs in the UK by 2020.

That includes those involved in the supply chain, manufacturing towers, blades, nacelles and other offshore wind technology, all of which GE expects to locate to the site.

GE says the investment is tied to the government's port development fund, as announced in the budget, says Magued Eldaief, managing director, GE Energy UK.

"Offshore wind will play a vital role in meeting the growing global demand for cleaner, renewable energy," states Eldaief.

"These GE investments will position us to help develop Europe's vast, untapped offshore wind resources, while also creating invaluable new jobs for both GE and our suppliers in the UK."

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson comments: "This is great news from GE, a vote of confidence in UK low carbon manufacturing, which should create a huge number of jobs. The industry has enormous potential for further growth, with significant knock-on benefits for jobs throughout the supply chain."

At the core of GE's European expansion plans is development of its so-called next generation wind turbine, a 4MW machine designed for offshore deployment.

As the largest wind turbine in GE's fleet, it will incorporate advanced, gearless drive train and control technologies gained through GE's acquisition of ScanWind. This technology is already being demonstrated at a test site in Hundhammerfjellet, Norway.

Brian Tinham

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