Clipper WindPower Received UK Funding for Blade Manufacturing Plant

Ed Miliband, UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary, announced today a potential boost in the green jobs market which would include the government’s recent funding provided for a new facility in the northeast. The new turbine manufacturing facility, to be completely funded by the UK government, will manufacture the biggest offshore wind blades on the planet.

The £4.4m grant is being awarded to Clipper Windpower, announced Miliband, and the company will use the funding to develop their offshore wind turbines, with blades reaching 70 metres, and a height of 175 metres, and weighing more than 30 tonnes. Miliband unveiled the plans in a conference at TUC in Liverpool.

Chairman of Clipper Windpower, James Dehlsen, said the government funding will aid the company in accelerating their planning and delivery of the turbines. The grant comes as part of a larger funding scheme for windpower of £120m which the government has promised to dole out over the next two years.

Also receiving funding under the same investment scheme from the government is Artemis Intelligent Power, who has been granted  £1m to utilize existing technology for vehicles and transfer it the wind energy sector. Additionally Siemens Wind Power is set to benefit from a  £1.1m grant to develop power converters for offshore wind energy.

Clipper, based out of the U.S., is currently the only listed UK wind turbine manufacturer. The company will begin construction on the new facility located near Blyth, Northumberland. The new project is anticipated to create 60 jobs by the end of 2010.