The world’s largest offshore wind farm base is primed to handle further growth beyond successive world title taking arrays, Orsted’s 海角视频 managing director declared as the £14 million investment was unveiled.
The Danish giant, the global leader in its field, officially opened the statement East Coast Hub base in Grimsby’s Royal Dock, where 350 people will soon work.
A state-of-the-art facility, described by those who now work in it as a fusion of Google HQ and Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island, it was opened by town MP Melanie Onn.
The Royal Dock building features the operational nerve centre for the ever-increasing fleet of wind farms, marine and aviation support as well as the base from which more than 100 technicians now sail daily and fortnightly.
Massively expanded from the initial new-build that emerged five years ago to serve a single farm, in less than three years it will be home to six – significantly larger in scale – with the potential for further additions.
Mr Wright said: “We have just seen another leasing round announced for additional wind farms, and we can just expect more and more growth. We have built this for the present and for the future, a future where offshore wind might be providing half of the 海角视频 energy needs by the middle of the century.
“In the 海角视频 the clean growth strategy is tied to the industrial strategy, with a focus on how 海角视频 Plc can benefit from the transition. It is built on places like Grimsby. The sector deal is as much about jobs and economic prosperity as it is Net Zero. Nowhere better represents this in the country, indeed the world, than the Humber.
“This will be home to 350 people, with full time jobs for the long term – perhaps even more if we win projects in the North Sea in the future.
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“We have had thousands of people involved in construction, 1,000 across the river building the blades in Hull, and we have just opened a new facility at Humberside Airport and we are working with a number of companies to provide services, and the people we need for our business.
“I hope this building provides a fitting statement of the quality size and prominence of the ambition of our company here.”
The launch came in a week that has seen Maersk Training open its doors in Stallingborough, while the skeleton of Triton Knoll’s base emerges further along the quayside from Orsted.
“The 海角视频 is the world leader in offshore wind, with more capacity installed in the 海角视频 than any other, and it is set to remain the biggest,” Mr Wright said.
“Record low prices continue to astound people in the sector, with another 30 per cent reduction. It is another clear signal, if any more was needed, that offshore wind is here to stay and set for substantial growth.
“We have the world’s largest market and the world’s largest project so we thought we had better step up and build the world’s largest offshore wind operations and maintenance facility.”
Ms Onn, who has seen the huge strides the company has made in her time as constituency MP, praised the support offered to the community and education.
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She said: “We are really lucky to have the world’s largest operations and maintenance facility coming out of Grimsby, but we are even more lucky that it is Orsted, a company prepared to give back to the community, build these links and one that will be here for the long term.
“To Orsted I say a very big thank you and congratulations.”
Many now work with a decade of experience in the industry under their belts, but Courtney Doughty, a 17-year-old apprentice wind turbine technician, had only just started school when the first turbines emerged out of the town.
Not able to go offshore until her 18th birthday in the new year, she is about to qualify as an offshore co-ordinator too, and was being mentored overseeing Race Bank as East Coast Hub was declared open.
Having joined in September last year, she is on the award-winning Maintenance Operations Engineering Technician course at Grimsby Institute.
“It is just amazing, and doesn’t feel like work,” she said of her time so far. “You are part of a big family and get to know everyone, and you are working with like minded people passionate about green energy.
“It is a great environment, we get spoiled, we are treated extremely well and it is a lovely place to come.
“I’ve not been offshore yet, but I’ve done all my working at height training and I’ve done a sky dive so I’ve had a taste for it!”
As the event was held, more than 1.8GW of clean energy was being produced by the farms it operates.
Maf Smith, deputy chief executive of Renewable海角视频 was born just down the Humber bank, at Barton.
He said: “It is great to be here in Grimsby where investment like the East Coast Hub shows the industry is serious about being here for the long term. It follows successful auctions that prove offshore wind is now delivering at the lowest cost and it is all generating huge confidence, the creation of jobs, and a real feeling it is going places.
“Grimsby was in early, and investing in the opportunity, and I am chuffed the achievement matches the effort as commitments around climate change mean a strong future for offshore wind.”