MHI Vestas repurposes power plant for wind blades

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S (Aarhus, Denmark) will repurpose an oil-fired power plant decommissioned in 2015 into a state-of-the-art painting and logistics facility for its record-breaking 80m turbine blades.

In a striking example of the clean energy transition in the UK, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has announced that it will soon be operating at the site where the oilfired Fawley Power Plant (Fawley, Hampshire, UK) once generated power. The new facility is the latest in a series of manufacturing investments made by the company as part of its comprehensive industrialization strategy underway in the UK. The new facility will compliment MHI Vestas’ advanced manufacturing facility on the Isle of Wight where the 80m blades are manufactured. This investment is a direct result of strong demand for the V164 offshore wind turbine platform.

MHI Vestas CEO, Jens Tommerup, says, “As we saw in the recent UK Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round, the cost of offshore wind continues to fall. This is fantastic news for the industry and for consumers, and also a great challenge for us to optimize our operations in every area. Our new paint and logistics shop at Fawley will improve our competitiveness worldwide and strengthen our UK industrial footprint.”

The new facility, expected to begin operations in April 2018, creating up to fifty jobs, demonstrates the rapid industrialization of offshore wind – sending a clear signal to policymakers that with market certainty and large-scale projects, manufacturing investment and clean energy jobs will continue to expand in the UK.

Energy Minister, Richard Harrington MP says, “This new facility in Fawley, developed by MHI Vestas, is a further sign of the growth of the offshore wind sector in the UK. Our Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy set out the opportunities for Britain in moving from fossil fuels to a cleaner future. This development is a fitting example as it reuses the site of a former oil-fired power station to produce parts for new clean wind farms.”

The expansion of MHI Vestas’ blade and storage footprint in the UK will bring these functions closer to other manufacturing sites and closer to UK project sites. The expansion comes as part of a larger, community revitalization plan from the site’s owner, Fawley Waterside Ltd., who is committed to the establishment of a vibrant, new community with a strong employment offer. MHI Vestas’ planned use of the old power plant is central to this aspiration.

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is a joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S 50% and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) 50%. The company’s focus is to design, manufacture, install and service wind turbines for the offshore wind industry. The company aims to create sustainable value through offshore wind power by driving capital and operating savings and increasing the power output of wind turbines. An innovative force in offshore wind since its inception in 2014, the company is guided by its founding principles of collaboration, trust, technology and commitment. For more information, see www.mhivestasoffshore.com or follow @MHIVestas on Twitter.