GE Renewable Energy has received the official planning approval for its Teesside offshore wind blade manufacturing plant from the local planning authorities in the U.K. This is the first major milestone in the lead-up to the construction of this state-of-the art facility on the South Bank of Teesworks.
Plant construction should begin later in 2021 upon the finalization of all contractual documents. LM Wind Power will operate the facility, which will be dedicated to the production of its 107-meter-long offshore wind turbine blades, a key component of GE’s Haliade-X.
“We are delighted to have received this important approval from the Local Planning Authorities and are thankful for the collaboration between all parties involved, including Teesworks and the South Tees Development Corporation,” says Olivier Fontan, president and CEO of LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy business.
“There is still a lot of work in front of us but this an important milestone for the construction and future opening of the facility,” continues Fontan. “We are proud of the contribution we will be making in rejuvenating this industrial cluster and helping it play a key role in future of renewable energy.”
When production starts, the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm would benefit directly from the blades produced at this new plant. The three phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, powered by GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine, will have a combined installed generation capacity of 3.6 GW, enough to power six million UK homes. When complete in 2026, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
“It’s fantastic news that this mammoth project has passed the planning hurdle and is on course to be up and running by 2023, helping to create thousands of well-paid, good-quality jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool,” adds Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. “Once completed, it will play a central role in our ambitions to become a powerhouse in the growing UK offshore wind sector and add a huge amount to our clean energy credentials. In the short-term, we can now get spades in the ground and give a vital post-pandemic boost to our construction sector.”
