A WORLD-LEADING energy company has opened a new 'centre of excellence' in Glasgow, creating around 100 high-skill jobs.
Hitachi Energy, one of the largest global firms focused on electrification, officially unveiled its Queen Street office on Wednesday with an opening event attended by the First Minister and representatives of Scottish Enterprise.
John Swinney said he is "delighted" that the firm has chosen to open the centre in Scotland, saying it's a "clear demonstration" that Scotland's "engineering excellence" is globally renowned.
He said: “I am delighted that Hitachi has chosen Glasgow as the home of their new UK Centre of Excellence. This is a clear demonstration that Scotland’s industrial heritage and engineering excellence continue to play a vital role in shaping the clean industries of tomorrow.
“The new Centre of Excellence will create 100 specialised jobs in the city, help develop electricity networks which will be vital to meeting our energy ambitions and act as a catalyst to further investment, jobs and opportunities across Scotland.
“An investment of this nature sends a clear signal to investors that Scotland is open for business and is a strong vote of confidence in our skilled and experienced workforce.”
The site will employ technical specialists, engineers and project managers with a focus on modernising the UK's electrical grid and supporting the green transition in Scotland.
Hitachi will also work with young people at the nearby Strathclyde University as well as Edinburgh Science to encourage people to move into the renewable sector.
Speaking to The National, Laura Fleming, managing director of the firm's UK and Ireland branch, said a core focus is to employ skilled workers coming out of the oil and gas industry in areas like the north sea and Mossmorran.
The UK operation has doubled its number of employees in the past two years, with this expected to grow further as more Scottish projects are started.
Fleming added: "The electricity grid will be the backbone of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system for decades to come.
"That makes investment in skills every bit as important as investment in technology.
"Our new Glasgow Engineering Centre of Excellence is about building the capability the UK needs to deliver major grid upgrades at pace.
“Scotland is already central to the UK’s clean energy future, and this expansion will help ensure that more of the value created by that transition is captured here - through high-quality jobs, new career pathways and stronger local supply chains.”
The opening has been supported by Scottish Enterprise, which has provided a £1.7 million grant out of a total £3m investment into the project.
Adrian Gillespie, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise added: “The UK is currently embarking on a once-in-a-generation transformation of the electricity network. More than £77bn of UK grid investment has already been approved for delivery by 2031.
Scotland is at the heart of this with over £40bn of that investment happening right here. This will not only help unlock new offshore wind investment but also has the potential to be a significant economic opportunity for existing supply chain companies, attracting additional inward investment and stimulating innovation.
“Hitachi’s welcome presence, creating around 90 highly skilled roles in Glasgow, is a huge step forward for the ecosystem here and the electrification of the energy system, upgrading transmission and distribution across Scotland and beyond utilising homegrown talent.”
