Wind turbine investment creates jobs across Humber region

Over 1,340 jobs are expected to be created and protected across the Humber region as a result of UK government and private sector investment in wind turbines.

A combination of UK government and private sector investment will see £266m of funding used to develop the next generation wind turbines, as part of the government’s ambitions to grow the UK’s offshore wind manufacturing capacity.

Offshore wind manufacturers Siemens Gamesa and GRI Renewable Industries will receive grant funding from the government’s £160m Offshore Wing Manufacturing Investment Support scheme to develop facilities in the Humber region, supplying essential components to offshore wind farms across the UK and for export around the world.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘The Humber region embodies the UK’s green industrial revolution, with new investment into developing the next generation of wind turbines set to create new jobs, export opportunities and clean power across the country.

‘With less than a hundred days to go until the climate summit COP26, we need to see more countries embracing new technologies, building green industries and phasing out coal power for a sustainable future.’

Siemens Gamesa will invest £186m to expand its blade manufacturing site near Hull, creating and safeguarding up to 1,080 direct jobs.

Additionally, GRI Renewable Industries is investing £78m in an offshore wind turbine tower factory at Able Marine Energy Park, South Bank of the Humber, creating up to 260 direct jobs.

This follows the government announcement of over £180m of private sector investment from offshore wind manufacturers in the Humber and Newcastle-upon-Tyne last month.

Business and energy secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: ‘With its close proximity to some of the world’s largest offshore wind farms and strong skills base, the Humber region is vitally important for the growth of the British offshore wind industry and is at the heart of our green recovery.

‘Our announcement backed by private investment will give a boost to this important industrial heartland, creating and supporting thousands of good quality jobs across the region while ensuring it is on the front line of developing the next generation of offshore wind turbines.’

In related news, £180m worth of private sector investment into offshore wind is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs.

Photo by Waldemar Brandt