China's Mingyang to build 'UK's largest' wind turbine factory
Mingyang unveils three-phase plan for fully integrated factory to supply offshore wind turbines for projects in the UK and Europe
Mingyang will build what it claims will be Britain’s largest wind turbine factory in Scotland, a plan that has already served as a lightning rod for debate around the expansion of Chinese wind giants into Europe.
Mingyang announced today that it will proceed with a three-phase project that will involve investing up to £1.5bn ($2bn) in a factory for offshore and floating offshore projects for the UK and for export.
It said the facility would create up to 1,500 new jobs, with a potential 1,500 further jobs in later phases.
Among the sites shortlisted for the factory is Ardersier Port near Inverness, which Mingyang said is the “current preferred location” and would enable the “redeployment of those previously employed in the oil and gas sector.”
The combined three-phase strategy would create an offshore wind hub to “serve the UK, European and other non-Asian markets,” said Mingyang, setting it out as follows:
- Phase 1: Invest up to £750m to create an advanced manufacturing facility for both wind turbine nacelles and blades with first production by late 2028.
- Phase 2: Expand the facility and infrastructure to serve the deployment of floating offshore technology at scale in the UK.
- Phase 3: Develop an offshore wind industry ecosystem around the hub, which includes manufacturing of control systems, electronics and other key components.
Mingyang said it has held “extensive discussions” with the UK and Scottish governments over the last two years.
It also said it has held “detailed commercial discussions” with Britain’s new national clean power champion Great British Energy, the National Wealth Fund, the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Crown Estate and UK Export Finance.
The investment plans are “still subject to final approvals” from the UK government and are an “integral part of a wider pan-European strategy, in which other locations are being explored.”
Mingyang founder and chair Zhang Chuanwei said the company is “committed to accelerating the global energy transition through innovation and community-focused comprehensive energy solutions.”
“We are excited by the prospect of investing in the UK and look forward to finalising our investment decision.”
Some in Europe’s wind industry have also raised concerns about the impact Chinese of wind giants setting up shop in the continent could have on local wind turbine suppliers and supply chains.
The move may pave the way for Mingyang to supply the Green Volt floating offshore wind project off Scotland.
Uk-based developer Cerulean Winds is also tipped to use Mingyang turbines for its 1GW Aspen floating offshore wind farm in Scotland. Mingyang Smart Energy was lined up to supply 18MW-rated wind turbines for this project, although no decision has been announced yet.
However, the planned factory is not expected to be able to deliver turbines quickly enough for the start of the installation campaigns on either project, meaning Mingyang is likely to import a significant portion of the turbines from China should it be the chosen as a supplier.
The factory announcement also comes hot on the heels of Mingyang striking a deal with major British power group Octopus over the deployment of wind turbines in the UK.
It is unclear if Mingyang’s decision to open a UK factory will affect that plan.