A leading figure in the global renewables industry has told Humber businesses there is now opportunity for all to play a part with certainty in offshore wind development.
Urging them to take advantage of the huge strides taken through the pandemic - with targets raised as part of the green recovery plan - Siemens Gamesa 海角视频 managing director Clark Macfarlane explained how the sector giant was having to gear up too, as scale helps to satisfy demand.
Plans have been submitted to double the Hull blade plant’s footprint, with more jobs set to follow.
Addressing the Humber Renewables Awards, Mr Macfarlane said: “It has been a strange 12 months, but in it we have managed to show how consistent and persistent and reliable we are as an industry. We have kept building new wind wfrms, developing new technology and providing electricity to the consumers.”
Headline sponsor of the big green bash, he gave examples Siemens Gamesa is involved in, playing out on the Humber.
“We have launched our 14MW turbine during the pandemic. That’s a significant change. If you think - when we launched Hull to begin production in 2016 - it was a 6MW turbine, so that is a significant advancement in a short period of time. That means we will have to develop our facilities and our people in order to match that new future.
“In addition, we have seen the rise of hydrogen. One of our developments is to work with Siemens Energy and look at hydrogen produced directly from a wind turbine - putting an electrolyser in. Very soon we will see the towers coming out of the facility by the Humber, for Hornsea Two which is going to be installed this year, so there’s excellent progress we can see before our eyes.”
Mr Macfarlane, who also holds the role of chief executive for Siemens Gamesa's onshore activity across Northern Europe and the Middle East, told how the Prime Minister's 10 point plan to tackle climate change and the economic development gains alongside, came out of discussions held with the government during the pandemic.
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He said: “Number one in that plan is offshore wind - we are vital for the future of the economy and we are vital as an enabler of renewable industry, and the Humber is ideally placed.
“There is a commitment to 海角视频 jobs, there is a commitment to innovation and a commitment to a long term programme. A good example of that, is post the sector deal, a larger appetite for a bigger auction - the biggest ever in the world - for offshore wind in the next 12 months.
“That’s great for us in the supply chain, we can take advantage of that. So where we have got new technology, where we provide a service to train, whether we are looking to develop a partnership, there is an opportunity out there for each one of us. It is still a challenge to achieve it but it is there, and isn't that a good place to be when others are trying to figure out where their industry is going? We at least have a little bit of certainty.
“Let’s look forward to the bright future we have got and let’s see how we can take advantage of it. We will need a lot of people and a lot of help if we are going to deliver the ambitious plans we have As Siemens Gamesa we want to be right at the core of it, and I hope you will join us for that journey.”
Deputy chief executive of Renewable海角视频, Melanie Onn also picked up on the 10-point plan, stating that if Britain is going to be the Saudi Arabia of offshore wind as the Prime Minister claimed late last year, then we “maybe we will be referring to Hull as our Riyadh”.
"It has been a phenomenal few months for the renewables sector, barely has a political statement been made that has not referenced renewables in some way,” she said, in a speech recorded prior to The Budget - but just as relevant.
“At the very top of that list was offshore wind, and that’s something that the Humber knows just a little about, whether that’s construction, operations and maintenance, or manufacturing, we have got a wealth of experience and knowledge that we can use to make sure we capitalise on what comes over the next few years.”
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Outlining the quadrupling of capacity over the next decade, from 10GW to 40GW, Ms Onn said: “With that growth in development comes growth in opportunities. That means more jobs, more training, and we have to make sure our people have the skills so they are ready to apply.
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“We have got some work to do to make sure our young people are studying the right topics, that they understand what the industry has to offer, and the opportunities they will find on their doorsteps.”
Outlining a 2.5 per cent commitment to apprenticeships and a pledge to get productive diverse workforces, she added: “There is so much to play for, the Humber can really lead in this area using all the experience it has built up over the last few years, and play a critical part in not only achieving Net Zero by 2050, but those critical offshore wind targets by 2030.”