MingYang Smart Energy has entered into a memorandum of understanding to invest in UK blade manufacturing and turbine assembly.
The Chinese wind turbine manufacturer announced it has signed an agreement with the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) to cooperate on realising the investment.
The agreement focuses on MingYang investing in a blade manufacturing factory, a service centre and potentially a turbine assembly factory in the UK.
Following the MoU, both parties will work to complete a final investment agreement on the factories once all pre-conditions are fulfilled.
MingYang and DIT will also explore other market entry options in the UK, such as wind turbine testing, offshore wind demonstration projects and pre-commercial wind farms.
Zhang Chuanwei, chairman of MingYang Smart Energy, said, “Both the UK and China have seen unprecedented development in the offshore wind sector over the past five years, and will foresee more market opportunities in terms of business model and technology innovations.
“The agreement we are signing today marks a significant milestone in the two nations’ deep cooperation in the industry, and also a solid step forward for MingYang to leverage its domestic offshore wind experience on these opportunities to create win-win results in the UK.”
John Edwards, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to China of DIT, added: “If successful, this investment will create the UK’s first wind turbine assembly factory. That means that more of the offshore wind energy we use in the UK would be made in the UK, creating more green jobs in one of our most exciting industries. We look forward to welcoming MingYang into the UK’s offshore wind industry.”
MingYang’s MoU follows the recent installation of a 30MW offshore wind farm in Taranto, Italy, a first for a Chinese wind turbine OEM.
It has also established a business and engineering centre in Hamburg.