GE Renewable Energy to open new offshore wind blade manufacturing plant in UK

GE Renewable Energy plans to open a new wind-turbine blade manufacturing facility in Teesside in the northeast of England.

LM Wind Power, a subsidiary of the General Electric Co. unit, plans to set up and operate the plant, which will be dedicated to the production of its 107-meter-long blades, a key component of GE's Haliade-X offshore wind turbine.

Terms of construction and financing of the new plant are in advanced stages of negotiation between the interested parties. The new plant is expected to start production in 2023.

GE said the announcement supports the U.K. government's goal to commission 40 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, according to a March 10 news release. As part of that plan, Teesside was recently designated as one of the U.K.'s newest freeports, zones where businesses can benefit from tax reliefs.

"GE Renewable Energy's new blade turbine manufacturing plant will transform a former steelworks site on Teesside into a high-tech clean energy powerhouse," Hugh McNeal, CEO of trade association Renewable U.K., said.

The Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, set to be built in the North Sea off the east coast of Yorkshire, is expected to benefit directly from the blades produced at the new plant.

The three phases of Dogger Bank, powered by GE's Haliade-X machine, will have a combined installed generation capacity of 3.6 GW, to be completed in 2026.

"Through our turbine supply order with GE, the Dogger Bank project is the catalyst for this important GE investment in Teesside, harnessing skills and expertise in the local area and delivering long-term benefits in the U.K.'s offshore wind sector," Dogger Bank Project Director Steve Wilson said.

GE is also working closely with its suppliers to develop a local sourcing base in the U.K. for some critical components of offshore wind turbines.