Vestas considers expanding UK blade production

Vestas plans to expand its UK manufacturing footprint if it is successful in securing a large volume of offshore wind turbine orders as a result of the upcoming Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 4, the company announced today.

Discussions are ongoing with “potential partners that can competitively supply towers and additional blade manufacturing in the North East of the UK,” the company said in a statement. 

It added that several memoranda of understanding have been signed with potential suppliers and as many as 2,000 jobs could be created.

The manufacturer also announced plans to expand production capabilities at its facility on the Isle of Wight, south of the UK mainland, in order to produce 115.5-metre blades for its V236-15.0MW turbines.

”We are extremely proud of the onshore and offshore wind expertise that we have built up in the UK and are positive about the market potential being created from the CfD Rounds,” said Henrik Andersen, Vestas president and CEO. 

“If successful in securing enough turbine orders from CfD Allocation Round 4, Vestas is intent on expanding its already sizeable UK footprint.”

The move follows the announcement by GE Renewable Energy last month that it is in advanced stages of negotiation to open an offshore wind blade manufacturing plant in the north-east of England on a former steelworks site.

Vestas has been manufacturing blades for 20 years on the Isle of Wight, where it employs 700 people to produce blades at Newport and carry out blade technology R&D activities at West Medina Mills. 

The Danish company has installed more than 5.3GW of wind turbines in the UK. The Newport facility has just celebrated the manufacturing of its 1,000th offshore wind blade for a V164-9.5MW to be deployed at the 1075MW Seagreen 1 Seagreen 1 (1075MW) OffshoreFirth of Forth, UK, Europe Click to see full details project, due to be Scotland’s largest renewable energy facility.