Vestas earmarks Kent for wind turbine factory

Danish firm signs option agreement for land at the Port of Sheerness to build its 7MW offshore machine.

Vestas has signed an agreement that could see it buy 70 hectares of land at the Port of Sheerness in Kent, just weeks after announcing it was searching for a site to build its new 7MW offshore wind turbine.

The Danish turbine manufacturer confirmed today that it has secured exclusive rightsto the land, which could lead to a concrete investment to build a wind turbine manufacturing and installation facility, creating up to 2,000 jobs.

The option on the land lasts for approximately one year with a possibility to extend the agreement for another 12 months.

However, Vestas offshore presidentAnders Søe-Jensensaid the company would only make a final investment if the government can offer market and regulatory certainty from a transparent, long-term and stable policy framework, and investment support to reduce the risk and cost of building such a large facility.

"We need to make sure it makes sense business wise,” he said. “Before our customers can provide us with the needed order pipeline, they need to see stability in the market and a long term political and regulatory certainty that ensures their business case.

"Making that happen lies in the hands of the policy makers, so we are looking forward to seeing the UK government providing the best possible terms for the offshore wind industry to truly take off and the potential jobs becoming a reality."

The move raises the prospect of the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer significantly ramping up its presence in the UK, after controversially turning its previous factory on the Isle of Wight into a research and development centre.

Source: Business Green