RenewableUK welcomed today's announcement on Siemens signing a memorandum of understanding with Associated British Ports to establish a major offshore wind turbine manufacturing and export facility at Alexandra Dock, Port of Hull. The proposed investment will create hundreds of quality manufacturing jobs at the site, with thousands more in the associated supply chains.

Dr. Gordon Edge, RenewableUK Director of Policy, said: “This is great news not just for Hull, but for the wider Humber region and the rest of the UK. RenewableUK estimate that with the establishment of a strong offshore wind manufacturing base, the wind industry can create 60,000 jobs in the UK by 2020.”

In a related development further boosting the profile of the UK’s wind sector the Prime Minister David Cameron today backed plans to explore the linking up of green energy projects in the North, Baltic and Irish Seas.

“The Supergrid, developed on the back of the expansion of the North Sea’s offshore wind programme, will connect geographically diverse renewable sources into a trans-European grid, improving grid management and boosting Europe’s energy security,” commented Edge.