Britannia offshore blades will be the largest in the world

Clipper Windpower announced the groundbreaking of its offshore wind turbine blade manufacturing facility on Tyneside during a visit by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband.

The new factory is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2010. Assuming expansion of the offshore market is in line with the Government goals, the factory is expected to employ a local workforce in excess of 500 people.

The factory will be used to develop and build blades for the ‘Britannia Project’, a 10 MW offshore wind turbine prototype under development by Clipper. The prototype is scheduled for deployment in late 2012, and is among the largest wind turbines under development in the wind industry. The blades will be 72 metres long and weigh over 30 tonnes.

A Department of Energy and Climate Change grant of £4.46 million was awarded to Clipper in September 2009. The grant is intended to accelerate development and demonstration of offshore wind technologies and components for multi-megawatt turbines. Accordingly, the grant will contribute toward some of the costs associated with the development of the Britannia offshore wind turbine blade and factory. In April 2008, the Crown Estate announced its purchase of the first commercial prototype Britannia turbine.

James Dehlsen, Chairman of Clipper, said: “Today marks an exciting and important milestone in achieving the Britannia Project blade requirements.

"Over the next few years, with the development of the Britannia turbine the UK will benefit through the supply of electricity based on its abundant offshore wind energy resource, and also with economic activity related to turbine manufacturing, offshore installation, and long term operations and servicing. The offshore wind market in the UK is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting sectors in the global renewable energy industry.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “I welcome Clipper's ground-breaking announcement to build the largest wind turbine blade in the world on the banks of the Tyne. The UK is a global leader in offshore wind power, and the North East is at the forefront in providing the skills, expertise and enterprise to capitalise on this rapidly expanding market, which has the potential to create thousands of future green jobs.”