Oct 05, 2007 -- M2 PRESSWIRE
US wind energy investment blows into North East.
Californian energy giant Clipper Windpower is to develop a new generation of
offshore wind turbines in the North East of England. The decision was hailed
by UK Business and Enterprise Secretary John Hutton, visiting the company's
headquarters in California today, as further evidence that "the UK is fast
becoming a magnet for renewable energy investment".
The Regional Development Agency ONE North East has agreed to invest a GBP5m
package of support into 'Project Britannia' - with Clipper Windpower basing
its prototype technology at the New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) in
Blyth, Northumberland. The investment is the culmination of two years' work
between Clipper Windpower, One NorthEast, the Department for Business and
Enterprise and UK Trade and Investment to win the project for the region.
Business and Enterprise Secretary John Hutton said:
"Clipper Windpower's decision to develop a new generation of offshore wind
turbines in the North East of England is further evidence that the UK is
fast becoming a magnet for renewable energy investment. A recent report from
Ernst & Young showed that the UK has moved up from fifth to second in the
world for attractiveness in new renewable investment. Behind this is the
Government's determination to bring down planning barriers and target
support at marine and emerging renewables. By 2015 we expect to see a
threefold increase in green energy feeding into the grid."
Ian Williams, One NorthEast Director of Business and Industry, said:
"Securing this substantial commitment from a company of the stature of
Clipper Windpower is fantastic news for our region and confirms North East
England as a major UK hub for renewable energy technology development and
investment, building on our power generation manufacturing heritage.
"It has been a real team effort to secure this project, drawing on the
expertise of our inward investment, sector specialist, US overseas office
network and business finance teams to secure this internationally important
investment.
"Our region has the engineering, research and development and manufacturing
expertise to make this happen. Clipper viewed the North East as its global
location of choice for this project which we hope will lead to long term
manufacturing and job creation in the region."
The initial project is likely to create 25 highly specialised engineering
jobs and further bolster the region's growing reputation in the offshore
sector. Clipper will assemble a top team of industry professionals to design
and manufacture the prototype.
Clipper Windpower will use NaREC's world-leading blade test and
manufacturing facilities to construct a prototype offshore turbine - dubbed
'Million Barrel Equivalent' *(MBE) - capable of delivering 7.5 mega watts of
electricity into the National Grid. A single 7.5 MW turbine could
potentially provide for the electricity needs of more than 5,500 homes and
offset more than 32 million pounds of CO2.
The US firm has also announced Blyth Harbour is to be its European Centre of
Excellence for Offshore Wind Technology.
Andrew Mill, NaREC Chief Executive said: "We are looking forward to working
with Clipper as they develop their Britannia turbine. Their development team
will have access to our wind turbine prototype development facilities
throughout the course of the project.
"Clipper has been attracted to Blyth for the same reason we ourselves are
based in the area - it has a long history in heavy engineering and
technology development, not to mention the fact that the Blyth Offshore wind
turbines were one of the earliest pilot offshore wind projects in the UK.
Once again it seems that Blyth will form the focus of new breakthroughs in
offshore technology."
Securing the investment from Clipper Windpower - which has offices across
the USA, Mexico and mainland Europe - is a major coup for the North East and
for NaREC.
It is hoped the prototype project could lead to further contracts to
eventually build the new generation of wind turbines in the region, possibly
creating several hundred new jobs in a multi-billion dollar global industry.
James G.P. Dehlsen, Chairman and CEO of Clipper Windpower, said: "We are
extremely pleased to have One NorthEast working alongside us in support of
the 'Britannia Project'.
"We are honoured to be working directly with One NorthEast and the New and
Renewable Energy Centre toward the launch of an offshore wind turbine which
will offset the need to import and burn one million barrels of oil.
"Clipper Windpower looks forward to a strong relationship with One NorthEast
and NaREC whose excellent engineering, testing and development capabilities
will play a major role in the project's delivery.
"We are also very pleased with the capability of the local area which
provides excellent regional university capability for support of offshore
wind technology development, particularly through the Marine Design Centre's
expertise in marine technology and science."
Mr Dehlsen added: "At the same time, collaboration with the numerous local
companies with skills and capacity for turbine component production will be
a great asset as we implement the manufacture of the Britannia wind
turbine."
One NorthEast and NaREC's support package for the project includes finance,
access to offices, development, testing and assembly facilities over a two
year period.
Clipper has worked extensively with the North of England Inward Investment
Agency in Newport Beach, California, One NorthEast's US marketing arm, in
the development of the Britannia Project for the UK.
Engineering development of the new MBE turbine will be shared between
Clipper's Advanced Technology Group, based in Carpinteria, California, and
Clipper Windpower Marine to be based in Blyth.
Notes to Editors
* UK Trade & Investment is the lead government organisation that provides
support for UK companies looking to develop international business. It also
provides support for UK overseas companies wishing to invest in the UK. UK
Trade & Investment has a wide range of services, backed-up by a network of
trade advisors worldwide who can provide market intelligence, advice on
regulations, sales leads, and financial and practical support. http://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.
For latest press releases from UK Trade & Investment register on our on-line
newsroom.
* Clipper Windpower
Clipper Windpower, http://www.clipperwind.com, is a rapidly growing company
engaged in wind energy technology, turbine manufacturing, and wind project
development.
* With offices in the USA (California, Colorado, Iowa and Maryland), Mexico,
Denmark and the United Kingdom, and a ISO9001:2000 QMS Certified, 330,000
square foot manufacturing and assembly facility located in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, the company designs advanced wind turbines, manufactures its 2.5-MW
Liberty wind turbine and actively develops wind power generating projects in
the Americas and Europe.
* Clipper is a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange's
Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Clipper's ticker symbol is CWP.
* Ernst and Young
The Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index 2007 Q2 can be found here:
http://www.ey.com/Global/assets.nsf/International/Industry_Utilities_R
enewableIndices-Q2-07/$file/Industry_Utilities_Attractiveness_Q22007.p df
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