Siemens said the upgrade of its operation on the Humber, which was first announced earlier this year, will create 200 direct new jobs as part of a £186m total investment. For its part, the UK government has said that Siemens Gamesa will receive grant funding from its £160m 'Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support' scheme.
The Hull plant, in Alexandra Dock, is the largest offshore wind manufacturing facility in the UK, employing around 1,000 people. It has built more than 1,500 offshore wind turbine blades since it opened in 2016 and Siemens Gamesa said the new investment will mean the operation will continue to be a major driver of economic growth in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
The giant turbines are used in wind farms already being constructed in the North Sea, as well as being exported around the world. The blades are currently being supplied to the 1.4 gigawatt Hornsea Two project off the Yorkshire coast, which will be the...