Able 海角视频 is speaking with government and the offshore wind supply chain as it looks to finally unleash the ‘big space in the right place’.
A decade’s worth of potential has been pulsating around the South Humber Bank, where Able Marine Energy Park sits consented and ready to be built out.
Now with the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, and support from private and public sector organisations - most notably initial objector ABP - further international interest is hoped to be harnessed, with a number of manufacturers close to a similar agreement.
Having one of the world’s leading steel pipe manufacturers, SeAH, a £62 billion turnover group, sign a memorandum of understanding will inject further confidence.
Explaining what needs to happen now, Neil Etherington, group development director at Able 海角视频, said: “We need to be able to establish a viable critical mass, and this would be a very important part of that.
“We need to secure that to move forward and to address some fairly significant commercial risk involved.
“We’re also having grown up conversations with government looking at various mechanisms.”
It is understood the support sought wouldn’t be small, but that offshore wind - now seen as the backbone to green hydrogen production too, enabling further net zero progress - is a favoured pursuit in Whitehall.
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The economic benefit alongside the environmental has always been a twin element to the industry’s development in the 海角视频 over the past 15 years.
“There have only been 16 monopiles manufactured in the 海角视频, the market is only getting bigger,” Mr Etherington enthused. “We have the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, local content targets too, so having the first meaningful entrant into the market looks like a sustainable opportunity. The monopiles themselves are only getting bigger too.”
SeAH has a legacy stretching back to South Korea's liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, with founder Haiam Lee Jong Deok’s early iron importing.
Pusan Steel Pipe Industrial was formed in October 1960, the predecessor of SeAH Steel. It is now a 40 company operation with a growing global presence.
Friday’s announcement of the MoU saw it make headlines across the renewables industry.
It is not the first time such an agreement has been reached with a manufacturer. Way back in 2013 it signed an MoU with Strabag, Austria’s leading construction company, with a view to building gravity-based foundations there.
The huge concrete weight at the base would hold a turbine in position. However, as the sector has developed, monopiles have emerged as the technology of choice, with confidence in scalability underlined by new partner SeAH.
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Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Rob Waltham said: “This news is a significant boost for the prospects of this site becoming a major economic force locally, regionally and nationally. “The Government has signalled its intention to support the North and is demonstrating a commitment to ensure sustainability, security and value for money in the energy markets for homes and industry. This is set alongside the Government’s ambitions to make the 海角视频 even more attractive to environmental global investment.”
It comes after Government funding was received through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership to develop a multi-million-pound pumping station – “a critical piece of the jigsaw to enable site development while protecting homes and businesses,” according to Cllr Waltham.
Both local enterprise partnerships are on board too. Pat Doody, chair in Greater Lincolnshire said: “This is a clear and very positive vote of confidence for this strategically significant development.
“The Greater Lincolnshire LEP has already signalled its support by providing funding for the Killingholme Marshes Drainage Scheme.”
Stephen Parnaby, chair of Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We have worked with Able for a number of years to support their development plans at Able Marine Energy Park. “This announcement is a key milestone in that development and will support further progress in our ambition for Humber to truly become the 海角视频’s Energy Estuary.
“It is a fundamental vision that we share with many stakeholders.”
The Able Humber Port complex, of which AMEP is part, covers some 1,695 acres, with an as yet undeveloped 1,279m heavy duty deep water quay at the heart. It had come up against major Humber port operator ABP in the courts and parliament in the planning process, with a contested compulsory purchase order for the ‘Killingholme Triangle’ a parcel of land in ABP ownership, dragging the issue out until early 2015.
It appears to be water under the bridge now as the bigger picture is explored with freeport hopes abounding.
Simon Bird, ABP Humber’s regional director - not in post when Able gained consent - said: “We welcome today’s announcement and look forward to working with AMEP to develop further the growing North Sea offshore wind sector, from offshore wind component manufacturing, assembly, installation and maintenance through to green hydrogen production, carbon capture, use and storage.
“The Humber, as the 海角视频’s Energy Estuary, is making a major contribution towards meeting the 海角视频’s net zero carbon emissions target.”