Wind Energy

Siemens to Build Wind Turbines Factory in the UK

Siemens, the largest provider of wind turbines and offshore grid connections to the UK, has responded positively to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the March 2010 Budget, to allocate funding of GBP60m to a competition for land development.

Siemens has indicated its appreciation of this wind power development and announced its intention to invest in excess of GBP80m to develop an offshore wind turbine production facility in the UK.

This will help Siemens accommodate future demand driven by Round 3 and Scottish Waters upon successful completion of the competition process.

"With the new wind turbines production plant in the UK we’re pushing ahead with our strategy of investments in attractive growth wind energy markets for eco-friendly technology. In the foreseeable future the wind power market in the UK will be characterized by major offshore wind farm projects, and we’ll extend our market leadership with the new production plant," said Peter LAscher, President and CEO of Siemens AG.

Andreas J. Goss, Siemens’ chief executive in the UK, said: "The UK government has created a stable framework to attract inward investment in renewables and offshore wind power in particular. The competition for land development, announced in the Budget last week, gives us confidence that the appropriate UK port infrastructure can be made available to support our production plans. "

"The new Siemens wind turbine factory will create around 700 new local jobs once it is in production, as well as additional indirect jobs in the supply chain. With the anticipated growth in the renewables market, there is potential for expansion of the facility in the future. This GBP80m investment plus additional investment in our UK infrastructure for renewables will provide a much-needed economic boost for the region, as well as driving growth in the UK’s innovative wind power industry," said Goss.

Siemens is currently exploring a number of sites on the East Coast and in the North East and will make its decision about the exact location when the competition process for land development is complete. The company is working closely with the Regional Development Agencies and its partners to find the optimum site.

Siemens is already investing in renewable skills development and research and development in renewable energy in the UK. The company has established a new Energy Sector training centre in Newcastle and has located its global Centre of Competence for offshore grid connections in Manchester.

Siemens has also established R&D Centres of Excellence for wind power at Keele and Sheffield Universities. The new manufacturing facility will produce the next generation of turbines for offshore application and will draw on R&D provided by its dedicated Centres of Excellence for wind power in the UK.

More than 40% of the electricity from wind power in the UK is provided using Siemens Wind Power technology.

Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 167 years ago and now employs 17,000 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were in excess of GBP4 billion.

As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of Energy, Industry and Healthcare. Siemens has more than 100 locations throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany.

www.siemens.co.uk