Charles Kennedy leads fight to back turbine-making centres

FORMER Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has put himself at the forefront of the fight for Government support to create thousands of jobs by converting ports into wind turbine manufacturing centres.

Tens of thousands of jobs could be created around the Humber as multi-national firms consider investing in the region to build the turbines necessary for vast offshore wind farms in the North Sea.

But the coalition Government is refusing to say whether it will stand by a 60m fund promised by Labour in the spring to help to finance the vital infrastructure to adapt the ports and allow businesses to set up there. Mr Kennedy’s intervention is significant because the two Ministers who will finally decide on the scheme’s future – Business Secretary Vince Cable and Energy Secretary Chris Huhne – are both Liberal Democrats.

A decision is expected around the time of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will chart Government spending for the next four years and is due to be announced next month.

Mr Kennedy has tabled a motion in the House of Commons calling on the Government to “ensure that the funding to support the rapid development of this industry in response to the twin problems climate change and economic recovery is retained following the Comprehensive Spending Review”.

He also says the 60m fund is important “for securing the private investment necessary to develop the UK’s offshore wind sector into a globally competitive industry”, and insists it would bring great economic benefits. Ambitious plans are already being drawn up to turn the region into a world-leading manufacturing base for wind turbines, with possible sites on both the north and south banks of the Humber.

The Yorkshire Post is backing the drive.

Earlier this year, Teesside firm Able UK announced plans to transform the south bank of the River Humber into an “international centre” for renewable energy in what it hails as one of Britain’s biggest port development schemes in decades.

It wants to establish a massive 400m waterside energy park creating 20,000 jobs.

The company intends to build a new mile-long quay at its 2,000-acre Able Humber Port site at Immingham, tailored to suit the needs of large offshore wind turbine manufacturers.

Alongside space for turbine construction and testing will stand a 300MW biomass power station, burning imported woodchips and pellets to generate enough green electricity to power half a million homes.

Land owned by Associated British Ports is also a possible location for a manufacturing base and the development agency, Yorkshire Forward, has been involved in trying to attract some big industry names.

Thousands of turbines are expected to be needed for offshore farms in the North Sea and further afield as the Government seeks to generate more renewable energy.

Three global giants – Siemens, Mitsubishi and GE – have already announced that they will establish turbine factories somewhere along Britain’s East Coast.

But there are fears that axing the 60m fund – which companies would be able to bid for a slice of to fund transport and other infrastructure improvements to adapt the ports – may spark a re-think.

Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband, the Labour MP for Doncaster North, has also been campaigning for the fund to be honoured.

Scaling it back would be embarrassing for the Liberal Democrats, who promised 400m during the election to turn shipyards into turbine manufacturing hubs.