GE Renewable Energy is considering setting up a plant in the UK to build 13MW Haliade-X turbines for the 3600MW Dogger Bank offshore wind complex off the east coast of England, according to a report in the Financial Times newspaper today.
The news report said three locations are being looked at – two in the north-east of England and one in Scotland – which could create at least 3000 jobs.
GE said: “While GE Renewable Energy is excited about the UK offshore wind market and committed to maximising opportunities for UK-based manufacturers, we have made no specific announcements at this point.”
A well-placed local source poured cold water on the report saying: “As far as I know there are no firm plans for anything.
“Different things have been discussed around blades and towers, but I suspect GE will soon turn around and say they will go with France due to Brexit uncertainty and Covid-19.”
A total of 190 13MW Haliade-X machines will be used for the first two 1.2GW phases of the Dogger Bank complex.
Last autumn Kwasi Kwarteng, Minister of State at energy department BEIS, wrote to the developers of the giant Dogger Bank wind complex SSE Renewables and Equinor after the US manufacturer was appointed preferred bidder.
Kwarteng noted turbines represent “the largest single element of capital expenditure”, stressing he was “keen to understand how Equinor and SSE will work with GE Renewables to maximise UK benefit from this order”.
As reported at the time by subscriber-only newsletter reNEWS, he reminded SSE and Equinor they have committed to a key joint industry government sector deal pledge to reach a 60% UK content target by 2030, specifically mentioning a promise to increase local content during the capital investment phase.
“As such I would expect to see projects from this CfD auction and the next auctions to show progressively increasing UK content levels from the current level of 48%,” he wrote.
Kwarteng added that analysis by his officials has shown “securing more turbine manufacturing capacity in the UK” is one of the “key strategic investments to deliver” these goals.
GE has no manufacturing base in the UK, unlike rivals Siemens Gamesa and MHI Vestas.
The US company was planning to deliver nacelles and blades for the Dogger Bank complex from French facilities.
James Ritchie, chair of northeast supply chain group Energi Coast and chief executive of Ritchie Bland Energy told reNEWS that “the lack of progress on UK content is frustrating”.
He said: “Major contracts on the £9bn Dogger Bank project have already gone to overseas companies, while businesses in the UK continue to struggle for work in the sector. It’s crazy.”