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A Danish manufacturer is aiming to build the first wind turbine blade factory in Scotland, a breakthrough in the renewable energy sector.
Vestas, the world’s leading blade manufacturer, has begun the process of securing planning permission for construction at Edinburgh’s Leith Docks – one of Scotland’s Green Freeports.
The company cautions that no final investment decision has been made and will require more certainty on orders from offshore wind developers.
Freeports receive tax credits to encourage investment and companies can now apply for them. Managers at the Leith site said it was “open for business”.
Vestas’ plan is expected to bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs to the Port of Edinburgh.
It falls within one of several locations around the Firth of Forth designated as a “green free port”, including Grangemouth, Rosyth and Burntisland.
The Rosyth site has been extended to include parts of its Royal Navy base since the proposal was first submitted.
Another green freeport in Scotland is around the Moray and Cromarty Firths, at locations including Invergordon, Nigg, Ardersier and Inverness docks.
In addition to providing waterfront space for the laying and installation of offshore wind facilities, these sites are being developed for manufacturing.
Until now, much of the equipment has been imported. The next phase of Scottish offshore wind development is dependent on a greater proportion of the supply chain being in Scotland.
There are only two factories in Britain making wind turbine blades – one on the Isle of Wight, operated by Vestas, and the other in Hull, operated by the German-Spanish joint venture Siemens Gamesa.
The plan for Leith would be to produce a new Vestas offshore blade design, known as the B236, which will be 115 meters (377 ft) long.
A turbine with three such blades has a rated output of 15 megawatts, from which its average output would power about 13,000 homes.
Made mostly of composite fiberglass and resin, the manufacturing process for the blades is highly skilled, requiring several hundred workers to produce them on a viable scale.
Blades are a particularly valuable part of the supply chain for wind turbines, including the steel towers, casing or base, and nacelle or gearbox.
At least one other company, Mingyang Smart Energy, is in the planning and development process of building turbines in Scotland.
As it is based in China, it has raised concerns about vulnerability to trade and security tensions between Beijing and the UK.
Vestas and its planning agent submitted a draft notice of application on Friday, which was published yesterday, and started the planning process with Edinburgh City Council. The firm intends to consult with the Leith community over the summer.
A spokesman said: “The UK’s offshore wind sector has strong potential and Vestas has identified the Port of Leith as a possible location for the production of wind turbine blades.”
“The final investment decision has not been made and will be based on several factors, including the viability of the business case and the market outlook.”
Vestas, which operates in more than 80 countries around the world, is looking for clarity in order flow. These in turn depend on UK auctions, which provide a guaranteed minimum price for the electricity produced, as well as consents to connect wind farms to the electricity grid.
A potential boom in supplying the offshore renewable energy sector also depends on capital costs, which have risen sharply, unblocking bottlenecks in the planning process and additional supplies, including submarine cables.
Forth Green Freeport says applications for investment tax credits, starting today, will have to meet conditions for employment and environmental standards.
Dame Susan Rice, chair of the landowners’ consortium, said: “That’s it. Forth Green Freeport is officially open for business. This is an important time for Green Freeport as we move through the development of the business case through to delivery for Scotland.
“Through innovation in offshore wind generation, assembly and commissioning, along with innovative shipbuilding, modular assembly and hydrogen production, Forth Green Freeport can boost the country’s net zero targets.
“This is a long-term project that we know will bring real benefits to local communities through economic growth, reskilling and training and access to high-quality green jobs.”