UK’s largest offshore wind tower factory to be built in Scotland

The £110 million project will be a leading example of the ‘green recovery’ in action for the UK.

Global Energy Group and Haizea Wind Group have agreed terms to build a £110m offshore wind tubular rolling facility at Port of Nigg, located in the Scottish Highlands.

Nigg Offshore Wind (NOW) will be 450 metres long, 38,000 m2, and capable of rolling steel plate to supply towers to the booming UK offshore fixed and floating wind industry in the UK and abroad.

The project will create over 400 direct long term, high-value jobs, and more than 1,000 indirect jobs in the Scottish and UK supply chain.

Staff historically employed in the oil and gas industry in the region will have the opportunity to be re-trained and upskilled at the Nigg Skills Academy.

The NOW project will allow offshore wind developers to achieve their local content targets, whilst helping the UK economy recover in a green and sustainable way.

If financial close is achieved, the NOW factory will receive substantial financial backing totalling £15m in debt from SSE Renewables, making the renewable energy leader the largest single UK-based strategic backer behind the NOW plans.

The facility has been designed to supply towers and other large tubular components suitable for both the fixed and floating offshore wind markets.

The UK Government has committed to 40GW of installed offshore capacity by 2030, bringing overall UK wind capacity to over 50GW.

At the current size of turbine used in the market, that means the UK needs more than 3,000 towers to reach this ambitious target.

The Port of Nigg rolling facility will be capable of producing up to 135 towers per year as well as other important structures for the offshore wind industry.

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “We are delighted to financially support this cutting edge offshore wind towers facility, through Highlands & Islands Enterprise, as it reaches this significant milestone, that will deliver high value, green jobs and bring multiple benefits to communities across the Highlands and beyond while playing a pivotal role in delivering offshore renewables growth in Scotland and further afield.”