GE Renewable Energy’s plans for a mammoth factory to manufacture
state-of-the-art blades for offshore wind turbines took a major
step forward today (28 May) after Tees Valley Mayor submitted plans that will create thousands of jobs
for local workers.
Mayor Houchen has also revealed the first images of what the
facility will look like once construction is complete.
The images show the scale of the new wind turbine blade factory
operated by the global manufacturing firm. GE Renewable Energy
took the decision to build the factory in Teesside, in part
because Teesside was awarded the UK’s biggest Freeport in the
Spring Budget.
The huge 78,000sq m facility, in the South Bank zone of the
Teesworks site, will sit alongside a new 1km heavy lift quay,
creating the UK’s premier location for offshore wind.
Ground remediation and clearance works are well under way with
more than 40 people currently employed at the site. A new
£1million 95-tonne monster excavator, one of only three in three
UK, recently joined the 40-strong machinery fleet to speed up
land preparation works ahead of the facility’s construction, set
to begin in October.
Up to 2,250 jobs will be created to support the construction of
GE Renewable Energy’s factory. When completed, GE estimates that
it could create up to 750 direct highly skilled jobs and close to
1,500 indirect jobs to support its supply chain. The first blade
is expected to roll off the production line in 2023, with the
factory serving Dogger Bank, the world’s largest wind farm
located just 80 miles off the North East coast.
Tees Valley Mayor said: “I’m excited to reveal the huge plans
for this mammoth manufacturing facility. The real regeneration of
this site is beginning to take shape right in front of our eyes
and, with it, creating real jobs on the ground as we speak.
“We’re clearing ground and delivering a construction-ready site
primed for developers and now we’ve got global investors right
here at the UK’s largest Freeport building this massive factory.
A factory producing wind turbine blades, boosting our clean
energy ambitions by supplying the growing offshore wind energy
sector.
“Work is ramping up on projects throughout the whole Teesworks
site and we’re creating hundreds of good-quality, well-paid local
jobs for people from across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool
right now, as well as securing thousands more for the future.”
Andrew Bellamy, Managing Director at LM Wind Power UK, a
GE Renewable Energy Business, said: “We’re thrilled to
be unveiling our plans today for our state-of-the-art facility at
Teesside. This is a first important milestone for us. GE
Renewable Energy and LM Wind Power are looking forward to
continuing on this journey to transform the site and contribute
to the creation of this revived location that will form a leading
offshore wind industrial cluster in the UK, creating thousands of
highly skilled jobs in the process.”
, MP for Redcar, Teesworks Board Member and Teesside
Freeport Board Member, said: "The sheer scale of the GE
Renewable Energy manufacturing facility being built in Teesside,
within the UK's largest Freeport, tells you everything you need
to know about our ambitions for this region.
"We're taking the lead in the offshore wind sector, and with this
incredible factory we're creating jobs now, securing the jobs for
the future and producing the turbine blades that will bring the
clean energy that we need.
"It just goes to show that the incentives on offer thanks to our
Freeport status are a huge draw for major international
businesses. It's already put us on the map. When major businesses
think growth, they think Teesside.
“We were only able to secure GE for Teesside because we were able
to secure the UK’s biggest Freeport, something that wouldn’t have
been possible if we hadn’t left the EU, and because of the
leadership of .
"Forget the naysayers and the pessimists - our region is being
transformed right before our eyes. The transformation has begun.
It's already bringing jobs, investment and prosperity. And this
is only the beginning."
Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough
Council, said: “This is another breakthrough moment. All
the hard work is paying off. The vision is being made real. This
is about getting high-quality jobs back here in Redcar and
Cleveland in a growth industry and I would like to thank everyone
involved and wish them well.”
This is the latest development to help make Teesworks and the
wider Tees Valley cement their status as a global leader in clean
energy, also including hydrogen and carbon capture, storage and
utilisation (CCUS) technologies.
The region’s Net Zero Teesside project, led by BP in conjunction
with the Northern Endurance Partnership, has secured £52million
of funding to develop its CCUS infrastructure plans. BP has
further announced it will develop the UK’s largest Blue Hydrogen
production facility, H2Teesside, within the region. This is in
addition to the Government unveiling its masterplan to house the
UK’s first ever multi-modal hydrogen transport hub for the UK on
Teesside.
NGA Chief Executive Emma Knights said: “It is
wonderful to see the imagination and enjoyment of children and
young people shining through in the work being shared by schools
and trusts taking part in the Festival.”
