Wind turbine giant Vestas is planning to build a new factory in the UK, creating 2,000 jobs, the company said today. The Danish-owned firm is applying for planning permission for a new plant at Sheerness in Kent to build turbines for the offshore wind industry. Greenpeace called on the Government to ensure support for offshore wind, including improving skills and training, the electricity grid and the offshore planning regime and making sure planned reform of the energy market backs renewables rather than focusing on nuclear. The news is a massive boost for Kent after drug giant Pfizer said earlier this year that it would be shedding more than 2,000 jobs when it shuts its renowned research and development facility at Sandwich. The UK is the world’s largest offshore wind market and has a massive offshore project pipeline. Vestas said the project will go ahead provided it receives enough orders for its V164-7.0 MW purpose-built offshore turbine. A spokesman said: “Vestas is prepared to make the necessary significant investment in turning the option into a full lease and building the planned new production facilities, thereby creating more than 2,000 direct and indirect new jobs provided the V164-7.0 MW order pipeline materializes as expected.
Title: Wind turbine plant to create 2,000 jobs
Publication: The Independent, May 11, 2011
Author: Alan Jones and Tom Pugh
URL: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/wind-turbine-plant-to-create-2000-jobs-2282275.html
“Germans to boost UK wind turbine industry” – The Times (London)
“General Electric to build wind turbines and make 2,000 jobs” – The Times (London)
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