Sunday 18 October 2009

General Electric looks to build £200m wind farm plant in UK

The American engineering giant General Electric (GE) is looking to site a £200m industrial plant to build wind turbines in Britain.

By Kamal AhmedPublished: 7:41PM BST 17 Oct 2009
A GE briefing note seen by The Sunday Telegraph says that the firm is now looking for "targeted financial support for the development" and is in discussions with the Department of Business, Innovations and Skills and the Department for Energy and Climate Change. It is also considering sites in Germany and Scandinavia, and will make a decision on where to build the new plant by the end of the year.
GE officials have also met Greg Barker, shadow climate change minister, who has assured the firm that any future Tory government would be committed to offshore marine technology, which could be a £20bn market by 2020.

"GE is now developing its growth plan for the new offshore wind business, which will include a new global centre of excellence for offshore wind turbine technology that would be sited in Europe," the briefing says. It adds that the complex would "generate new engineering jobs".