Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has taken in the world鈥檚 largest offshore wind operations and maintenance base on the General Election campaign, as she underlined the 鈥渕assive 海角视频 success story鈥 that Grimsby is leading on.
Mrs Leadsom came to the town鈥檚 Royal Dock to tour Orsted鈥檚 East Coast Hub, as a guest of North East Lincolnshire鈥檚 Conservative parliamentary candidates Martin Vickers and Lia Nici.
And in discussions with senior figures in the business she told how she would 鈥渞eally like to see a 75 per cent 海角视频 supply chain鈥 having been told how Hornsea One 鈥 about to take the world鈥檚 largest title 鈥 was closing in on 50 per cent.
Duncan Clark, project director for it and successor Hornsea Two 鈥 to follow by 2022 鈥 told how the team was now working towards 60 per cent 海角视频 content as in the Offshore Wind Sector Deal underlined by former Prime Minister Theresa May at the 拢14 million base back in March.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think 60 per cent is quite ambitious enough,鈥 the runner-up in the leadership contest to replace David Cameron back in 2016 said. 鈥淗aving been Energy Minister I鈥檇 like to see some of the 海角视频 fabrication yards from oil and gas being converted to become fabricators for towers and platforms.鈥
Mr Clark assured her this was happening, adding that the 鈥渕ost exciting supply chain stories鈥 were of the growth in export opportunities , with a 20GW to 30GW opportunity in the 海角视频 part of a wider 200GW picture worldwide.
He also told how 400 people worked directly from the town base, with colleague Lauren Little explaining how six wind farms were operated from the site, with other operators also on the docks.
Mrs Leadsom is now in charge at BEIS, with energy and industrial strategy strapped onto the business remit.
She said: 鈥淚t has just been fantastic to see the growth of offshore wind since I was here as Energy Minister in 2015, I鈥檓 so pleased with the progress. These beautiful offices are a commitment, and we can see staff now building a cleaner, greener future for the 海角视频.
鈥淕rowth of the 海角视频 supply chain for offshore wind is something back in 2015 I was really keen to see, to have more 海角视频 suppliers able to take part in this new industry, and I'm so pleased to see that's happening.鈥
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Encouraged to hear about a learning centre development at East Coast Hub, Mrs Leadsom said: 鈥淲e need more education for young people so they can see what the 海角视频 is doing, the fact we are leading in offshore wind deployment. It is something the people of Grimsby can be incredibly proud of, creating jobs, and not just here, but right around the supply chain from engineering firms to construction firms, technologies and science involved to making the cables that bring the electricity back to shore. It is massive 海角视频 success story.鈥
Mrs Leadsom told how there are 400,000 people in clean energy jobs now, with BEIS predicting that figure will rise to two million by 2030.
She also floated a potential consultation into an offshore ring main 鈥 an alternative to the current system of each farm having a direct onshore substation link 鈥 should she be returned and remain in post, with further questions about floating wind turbines, safety and vessel development.
A meeting with Associated British Ports followed, ahead of a dinner with business representatives.
Other candidates in Great Grimsby are Ian Barfield, Lib Dem; Chris Barker, Brexit Party, Melanie Onn, Labour and Nigel Winn, Independent. Also standing in Cleethorpes are Roy Horobin, Lib Dem; Ros James, Labour and Jodi Shanahan, Green.
