£400m green power plan holds hope of 20,000 jobs

In what would be one of Britain's biggest port development schemes in decades, Teesside firm Able UK has unveiled plans to transform the south bank of the River Humber into an "international centre" for renewable energy.

The company intends to build a new mile-long quay at its 2,000-acre Able Humber Port site at Immingham, specifically 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.

Able's founder and executive chairman, Peter Stephenson, said the proposal for a Humber Marine Energy Park was one of "international significance" and would "transform the economy of the area for decades to come".

North Lincolnshire Council said it would "easily surpass anything seen on the Humber for at least the last 50 years".

The turbine industry is poised to become a major new sector for Britain over the coming decade, with several enormous offshore wind farms planned off the east coast by 2020. Earlier this year the Yorkshire Post launched its Powering Yorkshire's Future campaign, pushing for the region to become a major manufacturing hub.

The potential benefits are huge. Able said it expects around 5,000 jobs would be created at the energy park itself, with a further 5,000 spread across the region and another 10,000 created indirectly in North Lincolnshire through the knock-on economic benefits.

However, the scheme's success will hinge on Able's ability to attract major turbine manufacturers. Three global giants– Siemens, Mitsubishi and GE – have already announced that they will establish turbine factories somewhere along Britain's east coast, with the Humber a prime site for consideration.

Local authorities and regional planners are all backing Able's scheme, and insist it will not jeopardise a rival bid from Associated British Ports in Hull for the north bank of the Humber.

Hull Council leader Carl Minns said: "There's enough activity in this sector to have critical mass on both banks of the Humber."