GE Renewable Energy announced today that it plans to open a new blade manufacturing facility in Teesside in the North East of England.
LM Wind Power plans to set up and operate this plant which will be dedicated to the production of its 107-meter- long offshore wind turbine blades, a key component of GE’s Haliade-X, the most powerful offshore wind turbine in operation today. Terms of the construction and financing of the new plant are in advanced stages of negotiation between the interested parties.
GE Renewable Energy estimates that this new plant, set to open and start production in 2023, could create up to 750 direct renewable energy jobs and up to 1,500 indirect jobs in the area to support the entire value chain needed to operate this facility. This announcement and commitment support the UK government’s plan to develop jobs, infrastructure, and supply chains to reach its goal to commission 40 GW of offshore wind power by 2030 and become a global leader in green energy.
As part of that plan, Teesside has just been designated as one of the UK’s newest freeports. GE Renewable Energy’s new blade manufacturing plant will be located on Teesworks, an ideal location to serve the vast offshore wind potential of the North Sea.
Commenting on the investments it made for the new port of Teesside, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “Teesside will continue to drive forward our green industrial revolution as we capitalise on new opportunities to produce clean energy through a brand new offshore wind port on the River Tees. It will not only create thousands of jobs and harness the skills and expertise of this great industrial heartland, but also boost investment into the area as we build back greener.”
The Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm, which is located between 125 km and 290 km off the east coast of Yorkshire, would benefit directly from the blades produced at this new plant. The three phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, powered by GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine, will have a combined installed generation capacity of 3.6 GW, enough to power six million UK homes. When complete in 2026, it will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
