An offshore wind operations and maintenance centre of excellence for Grimsby has been welcomed across the world-leading cluster.
Support has been pledged from the local authority and sector organisations, with the leading investor also excited by the potential arrival.
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult is behind the proposal, with ambition for 50 to 70 highly-skilled roles as it looks to embrace Industry 4.0 with digital, data and automation innovation being brought to the fore.
It was announced at Energy and Clean Growth in the Northern Powerhouse conference, with Business Live exclusively revealing the commitment ahead of the huge Humber Local Enterprise Partnership-hosted event in Hull.
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said it re-enforced “a key limb of the Town Deal” in focussing on driving economic growth and playing to the borough’s strengths.
He said: “This news further cements our growing international reputation in North East Lincolnshire, and enhances our aspiration for Grimsby to lead the way in supporting the clean energy revolution.
“Our offshore wind operations and maintenance bases in Grimsby and the training facilities in our area are second to none. We’ll do what we can to support Catapult’s ambition to base themselves at our port, growing our cluster of operations and maintenance businesses and their supply chains.”
Grimsby is on a journey towards 10GW of offshore wind, with more than 500 turbines making 2.4GW operational today, from a standing start in 2007. It is the largest concentration in the world.
Emma Toulson is lead stakeholder relations advisor for Ørsted, the developer of the lion’s share of those installations. She said: “Innovation is a key driver behind the success of the offshore wind industry in the UK, so we are excited to welcome Catapult to Grimsby’s flourishing renewable energy network. The plans to promote and explore new technologies and innovations within the sector align with our own ambitions, so we are keen to support their progression into the Humber region.
“We already have a tremendous knowledge base here in the Humber and it’s through partnerships with businesses, local authorities, universities and colleges that we’ll really be able to leverage the most out of this. It’s an exciting time for the region.”
Such a centre of excellence for operations and maintenance has been on the wish list for some time, and it was talked about as a possiblity for the Humber at a Renewables UK event held at Grimsby Institute back in March 2018.
Chair of Grimsby Renewables Partnership, Katharine York, said: “This shows that Grimsby is at the forefront of the industry and that for the UK, we are continuing to lead the way.
"It is a new dimension to an already strong cluster, with operations and maintenance where the long term involvement with communities is. It is where the sustainable jobs are, and stay.
“This work will be geared to improving efficiency and helping drive down costs as the price of offshore wind continues to drop. It will add to and further collaboration and will be embraced by the cluster where we have already seen the start of such work. It will encourage supply chain, underlines confidence and raises aspirations for careers.”
The town has already been held up as a cluster exemplar, with international attention and visits from the US, Taiwan and Australia.
Behind many of those tours has been Mark O’Reilly, chairman and chief executive of Team Humber Marine Alliance. He said: “It is fantastic news. What it does do is cement Grimsby’s role as the leading operations and maintenance cluster in the world. We have world class organisations like Innogy and Orsted, training to complement it, and having Catapult there is really another part of that jigsaw. We will see Grimsby shine in a global way.
“It will act as a magnet, it will attract people looking to play a role and it is in the rightful place if we are talking about an operations and maintenance centre of excellence. The Humber is the right place to be.”
As reported, ORE Catapult is now looking for a site, and has appointed Ben George, former director of Aura, as general manager in the Humber, with a presence already at Bridgehead, Hessle.
A port location is understood to be preferred. Simon Bird, ABP's regional director for the Humber, said: "ABP is at the centre of the offshore wind growth in Grimsby. We welcome this new proposal of an Offshore Wind Operations and Maintenance Centre of Excellence in Grimsby and are in conversations about how we can assist. This comes as a brilliant addition to the regeneration funds that have been announced earlier this year for the Kasbah area of Grimsby Docks."
