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#1 ·
North East favoured for £100m wind power research unit
The north-east of England is being considered as the site for a £100m wind power research centre.

Mitsubishi said it was looking at a number of sites in the region to carry out research into building the world's biggest turbine blades.

The government is supporting the development with grants of up to £30m.

Up to 200 skilled jobs would be created over the next few years, which Business Secretary Lord Mandelson believes could grow to 1,500.

More than £18m of government cash has also been earmarked for an existing offshore wind test site off the coast of Blyth.

Lord Mandelson and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said they had signed a deal with Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Ltd (MPSE).

Mitsubishi Chief Executive Akio Fukui said the firm was looking at a number of locations in the North East where a factory will be built for the research to be carried out.

He said a prototype turbine would be built within three years and the first full-scale production will start after four years.

Lord Mandelson said: "Mitsubishi's investment and the creation of 200 highly skilled jobs is great news for our future plans in low carbon, high technology industries.

"I'm delighted that we are also supporting the wind test site in the North East, which further strengthens the region's position as a leader in the offshore wind farm sector."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8536154.stm
 
#2 ·
Mitsubishi wind centre jobs boost for Tyneside
HUNDREDS of jobs could be coming to the North East with the creation of a £100m wind turbine research centre.

Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government to invest the cash in research and development into green energy.

And business secretary Lord Mandelson yesterday said the firm was looking at a number of sites in the region as potential bases for the centre, which could create 1,500 jobs.

It comes a week after American giant Clipper revealed it was moving into a factory in Walker Riverside, in Newcastle’s East End, where it will build turbine blades the size of jumbo jets.

Mitsubishi is yet to finalise exactly where it will locate its research and development base, but regeneration chiefs see the North East as the ideal location due to the region’s current expertise in this area and the existence of huge swathes of vacant industrial land, particularly along the banks of the Tyne.

And the Prime Minister is said to be of the same opinion, having described the North East as “leading the world” in the growing renewable energy sector.

Lord Mandelson signed the memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi, along with climate change secretary Ed Miliband, both of whom spent the end of last week in the region.

Mitsubishi chief executive Akio Fukui said the firm will build a prototype wind turbine within three years and that full-scale production will start after four years.

The turbines will be for offshore wind farms and will be offered for sale in overseas markets such as Germany, the United States and China as well as the United Kingdom.

Lord Mandelson said 200 jobs would initially be created, but that the scale of the development had the potential to generate as many as 1,500.

He added: “No country makes offshore wind turbines of the size we are talking about today on a commercial scale.

“Twenty years ago, the UK was a leading centre for onshore wind technology, but we failed to capitalise on that by not providing the right climate for growth.

“We are determined not to let that happen again. We are creating the largest market in the world for offshore wind and we intend to build and support the industry.”

Mr Miliband said: “This decision by Mitsubishi is a sign that the UK is starting to turn its leadership in offshore wind generation into leadership in manufacturing.

“We have the wind resource and we now have an industry that is really starting to grow.

“This is possible because of our domestic market and our commitment to supporting companies that locate here. It is another step to turning Britain into a leading green manufacturing centre.”

Mr Fukui said: “We have been working with UK Trade and Investment for some time and we look forward to further growing our offshore wind business with UK-based partner and supply chain businesses from 2010, bringing much needed competition into the offshore wind turbine supply market, and economic benefit to the UK.”

The news has also been welcomed in the region, with the New and Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), in Blyth, Northumberland, describing it as another key piece in the jigsaw of the UK and the region leading the way on the creation of green energy.

Narec CEO Andrew Mill said: “Today’s news of the MOU signed between BIS and Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe (MPSE) is further testament to the commitment of the UK Government to realise a UK offshore wind industry. Narec welcomes this investment and looks forward to working with MPSE on their R&D programme.”

The Mitsubishi announcement comes seven days after the Clipper deal was announced. The US-firm will build the world’s largest turbine blades in the new factory, being built by Shepherd Offshore on the site of the former Neptune shipyard.

That factory takes up just one fifth of the Neptune site, which itself makes up only a tiny part of the vacant industrial land that stretches from Newcastle to the mouth of the Tyne. Speaking at the launch last week, the PM hinted at more announcements for the region, saying: “They will be the start of other companies coming here and the start of other developments, which will mean Britain is maintaining its position as number one in this field.”

The Mitsubishi deal is underpinned by £30m investment from the Government. British Wind and Energy Association chief executive Maria McCaffery said: “This all signals the rebirth of manufacturing in the UK, with an estimated 70,000 green-collar jobs to be created on the back of over £100bn of private sector investment.The combined contribution from both on and offshore wind is set to contribute up to half of the UK’s domestic electricity requirement by 2020, dramatically reducing our dependency on imported fossil fuels and displacing millions of tonnes of harmful CO2 every year.

“It is not an exaggeration to speak of offshore wind as the new North Sea oil.”

Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, said: “The Mitsubishi announcement is a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s renewable sector. We are clearly now open for business and, importantly, we are now winning business.

“The green manufacturing revolution is now becoming a reality. It comes on the same day that Siemens, alongside the Carbon Trust, has made a key investment into Marine Current Turbines, a leading British marine energy company.

“Both announcements signal clearly that the UK can and will create significant economic benefit and attract inward investment from the move to a low-carbon economy, particularly in the offshore renewables sector.”

Turbine test facility gets £18.5m grant

GIANT wind turbines will be tested off the North East coast thanks to an £18.5m Government grant.

The cash was awarded to the New and Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), in Blyth, Northumberland, which will build an offshore facility to trial the huge structures before they are sent out to sea.

Narec has already secured investment to test turbine blades and motors, and the latest deal serves to bolster its reputation as a world leader in this field.

The announcement was made by business secretary Lord Mandelson and climate change minister Ed Miliband and was welcomed in the North East.

Lord Mandelson said: "I’m delighted that we are also supporting the wind test site in the North East.

"Coming on top of funding for Narec announced in the Pre-Budget Report, it further strengthens the North East’s position as a leader in the offshore wind farm sector."

The announcement of £18.5m to build an offshore test site was made by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills yesterday.

It will see giant turbines "plugged into" test units as close as 50m to the North East coastline, where they will be put through their paces before being sent out to sea for use in wind farms.

The scale of the latest offshore turbines is enormous.

When the announcement was made last week that the Clipper Windpower Marine factory would be built on the banks of the Tyne, the turbines it will construct were described as being the size of the Eiffel Tower with a wingspan the size of Big Ben.

The Narec centre will have the capacity to test 20 prototype turbines at a time and the new deal comes after the Crown Estate, which overseas British waters, announced the latest set of locations where wind farms will be based.

That all forms part of efforts to meet European Union targets for the amount of energy generated from green sources by 2020.

Narec CEO Andrew Mill said: "We very much welcome this funding award and the continued support we have received from central government and regional development agency One North East, which is creating a national hub in North East England for the development of offshore wind technologies. The facility will be unique in global research and development terms, enabling manufacturers and wind farm developers to identify best practice approaches across the supply chain for the development, deployment and operation and management of new turbine technologies, which will be most pertinent to the Crown Estate round three programme."

Ian Williams, director of business and industry at One North East, said: "We are delighted the Government has chosen to support this groundbreaking project.

"One North East has been investing in this new market for almost a decade now. Through national investments like this and the plans Clipper announced last week to create hundreds of jobs on the Tyne, the region is now beginning to reap the rewards of this dynamic new industry."

Historic gem returns

A SPIN OFF from a greener energy project will see a huge Tyneside-built steam turbine become the first of its size to go on public display.

The 25-tonne turbine, designed and built in 1967 at the Newcastle Parsons works, was transported back to the North East yesterday from Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire where it has been generating electricity for Britain’s households for the past 36 years.

It has finished its working life at the power station and will be replaced by more efficient Siemens turbines in a £100m modernisation project, the biggest in UK history.

Siemens, which acquired the Parsons site in 1997, is helping to cut Drax’s carbon dioxide emissions by a million tonnes a year, the equivalent of taking more than a quarter of a million cars off the road.

The Drax turbine was taken yesterday to the regional museum’s store at Beamish Museum in County Durham, and later this year will go on display in Newcastle’s Discovery Museum.

It will join Turbinia, the first vessel in the world to be powered by steam turbines, which is a centrepiece of the city centre museum.

The Drax steam turbine is part of the historic first 660 megawatt (MW) steam turbine generating sets, the largest in the United Kingdom. Carl Ennis, managing director of Siemens Energy Service in Newcastle, said: "The refurbishment of the Drax machines illustrates the continuing role of world-leading engineering expertise on Tyneside in meeting the demands for greener energy.

"The partnership with Drax and Discovery Museum will give the public a unique insight into how these local engineers continue to meet modern challenges in the power generation industry and how science and technology continues to impact our lives."

Siemens chief turbine engineer Geoff Horseman worked alongside the turbine designers from the 1960s and manages the company’s history archive.

He said: "We couldn’t think of a better final resting place than the Discovery Museum to showcase the amazing engineering heritage that we have in the North East."

John Clayson, who is the keeper of science and industry for Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, added: "The Drax turbines are visually impressive, and this project will provide an excellent showcase of large power generation turbine technology alongside the pioneering vessel Turbinia."

Siemens has been working with Drax to dismantle, transport, create display rigs, install the turbine parts and provide labour and engineering advice throughout the project.

Steve Austin, turbine engineer at Drax, said : "The steam turbine modernisation project will not only save a million tonnes of carbon dioxide, it has given everyone the chance to view a piece of living history and we look forward to seeing the turbine on display."
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2010/02/26/mitsubishi-wind-centre-jobs-boost-for-tyneside-61634-25917628/
 
#3 ·
so, Siemens have announced they are going to build a wind turbine factory on the east/northeast coast of england, providing 700 jobs. this comes after GE announce the same, providing 1900 jobs, building turbines for the UK as well as sweden, germany and denmark. our councils and ONE have to be going overtime in order to secure these sites in the north-east. we already have clipper opening on tyne, blyth testing facility, and the tba mitsubishi site. we have the manufacturing tradition, free dock-side sites, burgeoning critical mass, and geographic proximity to offshore sites in the sea as well as northern europe.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...-UK-wind-turbine-factory-create-700-jobs.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...s-1900-UK-jobs-with-wind-turbine-factory.html
 
#4 ·
Experts gather in Newcastle to
discuss impact of North wind farms

Sep 6 2010 by David Black, The Journal


EXPERTS will come together today for a major conference on how to ensure that the drive to produce more renewable energy doesn't harm Northumberland's historic assets and environment.

Archaeologists, historic buildings experts, heritage advisers and planning consultants from across the UK and Ireland will be among those gathering for the one-day forum at Newcastle University.

It has been organised by Northumberland County Council to debate the potential impact on historic sites and buildings of the ever-increasing pressure to build more giant wind turbines on the county’s rugged moorlands and fells.

All 150 places have been snapped up at the event, which will also bring together wind energy developers and planning officers.

Northumberland has been the focus for a number of battles in recent years between wind farm developers and local communities opposed to the erection of giant turbines.

In some cases, the impacts of the structures on archaeological sites and centuries-old buildings such as churches have been crucial elements of the debates.

A number of wind energy schemes are currently in the pipeline for the North East with the UK committed to sourcing 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Experts say wind farms have the potential to harm both the fabric and setting of historic assets, unless careful consideration is given to their location, scale and layout at the design stage.

It is sponsored by Hexham-based Vattenfall Wind Power, Novera Energy and Wessex Archaeology, and will hear from professionals working in the sector.

Organisations represented include English Heritage and Historic Scotland.

Yesterday Coun Dougie Watkin, who will be representing Northumberland County Council, said: “It will become more important than ever to ensure that developers, landowners and planning authorities work together to ensure developments are sensitively designed to avoid unnecessary impact on our historical and archaeological heritage.

“The county council’s lead role in this conference is very pertinent as the pressure to accommodate onshore renewable energy has been keenly felt in Northumberland.

“Since 2005, at least nine wind farm applications have triggered concerns relating to the historic environment, and two schemes have been refused due to their impact on historic monuments.”


FULL ARTICLE - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ss-impact-of-north-wind-farms-61634-27208427/
 
#5 ·
Wind Turbine factory to start operating as planned.

ASSURANCES have been made that a wind turbine factory will start operating as planned next month, despite problems for its parent company.

The plant on the banks of the River Tyne is set to be moved into by Clipper Windpower, a United States company which plans to make prototypes of the world’s biggest turbine blades there.

The firm this week released a trading update that raised concerns about its ability to continue in business amid a global slump in the wind turbine market. The statement said alternative funding streams needed to be explored for the company to remain a going concern.



Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-economic-storm-61634-27315620/#ixzz10GWXiOuW
 
#6 ·
Region bids to be hub for offshore wind industry
October 12th 2010, by Adrian Pearson, The Journal


CITY leaders are putting together a multi-million pound bid to make Tyneside the UK’s hub for the offshore wind industry.

Businesses and council bosses wanting to secure cash from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund need to have bids in by December to be considered in the first wave. Staff at development agency One North East had been tasked with creating thousands of jobs along the banks of the Tyne, but those regeneration plans were thrown into confusion when the coalition Government decided to scrap the quango and try to hand power back to local councils.

But with council bosses still arguing over the exact number of replacement local enterprise partnerships, time is running out if money is to be secured for projects such as the North Bank of the Tyne scheme.

Already the region is locked in a battle with port authorities in the Humber to try and secure upgrade cash. A successful bid from the regional growth fund would bring Tyneside a step closer to securing an £80m Siemens wind turbine factory, among other successes.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...e-wind-industry-61634-27450514/#ixzz128Emvx53
 
#7 · (Edited)
ONENorthEast axe, raises region's wind jobs doubts
November 5th 2010, The Journal


WIND energy jobs could be lost to Japan unless the Government offers support for the region’s flagship testing facility.

The National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth is underpinning hopes of creating thousands of turbine manufacturing jobs in the region thanks to its world leading research. So important is the work done at Narec that the likes of the US company, Clipper Windpower, have already set up home in Tyneside in order to build turbines near the centre.

Global players such as Siemens and Mitsubishi are also eyeing up land in the North East as part of plans to place thousands of turbines in the North Sea.

But Narec’s future was cast into doubt when the coalition Government announced it was scraping funding body One North East.

Last night, a leading climate change expert told The Journal it was vital the centre’s future was secured because other nations such as Japan were catching up.

Lord Julian Hunt, a professor of climate modelling and former head of the Met Office, said the threat to the region’s prosperity was very real.

The Labour peer added: “I have been involved with officials at the Department for Business and they recognise that others are going for this. They know Narec was partly funded by the to be abolished development agency.

“I have made it clear to them, and I think they agree, that Narec is quite simply a very important part of Britain’s wind energy programme and the question now is what is the Government is going to do about that. They cannot afford to flounder.

“I have spoken to finance people and we have been told by insurance men from the City that the Japanese are preparing to copy Narec and build their own testing facility for their offshore wind programme.

“Narec has established itself as a leading player and that could come under threat. The big players, the Chinese, the Danes, the Germans, they are all looking at wind energy and we cannot afford to halt here.” He called for European level alliances to be created to make the best use of Narec. The renewable energy centre is in talks with the Government over future funding.

One option would be for the country’s science quango, the Technology Strategy Board, to take over as Narec’s main backer.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ind-jobs-doubts-61634-27604145/#ixzz14Ouohoa1
 
#8 · (Edited)
Northumberland turbine ruling sparks anger
November 13th 2010, by Brian Daniel, The Journal



CONTROVERSIAL plans for a wind farm in the Northumberland countryside have been given final approval, after pleas to re-open a public inquiry were ignored.

The Government has announced it is giving full consent to plans for 16 turbines, 125m high, on the Ray Estate, near Kirkwhelplington, despite Newcastle Airport and local objectors having asked for another chance to comment.

The 56-megawatt project from Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd was announced in 2005, but due to its size a decision on it would have to be made by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, rather than local councillors.

Objections came from residents, parish councils, and the Campaign for Responsible Energy Development in Tynedale (CREDIT) group – all of whom were concerned at the impact on the landscape.

The scheme was also opposed by the airport, the Ministry of Defence, and National Air Traffic Services (NATS), who said that the turbines would interfere with radar in the area.

The Ray project was heard at an 11-month public inquiry which ended in December 2008, alongside applications for wind farms at Green Rigg and Steadings. In March, then secretary of state for energy and climate change Ed Miliband announced he was minded to consent the Ray project – against the advice of his planning inspector.

He proposed a condition preventing construction work beginning until a solution to the radar issues is ready to be implemented.

The inspector who heard the inquiry had recommended the project be refused because he believed there was little prospect of that solution being ready within the five years the developer would have to begin work.

Mr Miliband announced he was basing his decision on new evidence which had come to light since the inquiry.

The new Labour party leader offered interested parties the chance to make written submissions or to request that the inquiry be re-opened.

Requests for a re-think or the re-opening of the inquiry came in from the airport, NATS, CREDIT and a local vicar.

But now Mr Miliband’s successor, Charles Hendry, has ruled that the final consent, with the radar condition, can be given, ignoring the objectors’ pleas.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ng-sparks-anger-61634-27650865/#ixzz159bR8gyy

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#9 ·
Cumbria has it's own regeneration company, Britain's Energy Coast. The website can be found at: http://www.britainsenergycoast.com/

From the website:
Britain’s Energy Coast™ is a £2 billion package of regeneration projects that will establish the West Coast of Cumbria as a major national hub for low carbon and renewable energy generation.

Building on the existing expertise within West Cumbria’s world-renowned nuclear industry, the vision is to transform the boroughs of Copeland, Allerdale and Furness into a thriving centre of excellence for energy technologies ranging from off-shore wind, tidal and wave to biomass, anaerobic digestion and energy from waste.

Nationally the Britain’s Energy Coast™ initiative could play a major role in the country’s response to the pressing challenges of climate change and energy security. Locally it has the potential to create 16,000 jobs and boost Cumbria’s economic performance by £800 million a year.

Importantly the “energy” in Britain’s Energy Coast™ extends well beyond the energy industry and runs through all aspects of life for the area’s proud communities. This is why significant investment is being made to transport links and housing; widespread improvements made to health services; and new leisure, cultural and sporting facilities created to serve local people and visitors alike.

By acting locally and thinking globally we can build a brighter future for West Cumbria’s communities and help create a better environment for everyone.


There's also Barrow Regeneration ( http://www.barrowregeneration.co/ ). The main development is the Marina Village:

From the website:
Marina Village is the jewel in the crown of Barrow’s exciting transformation. The £105 million mixed residential, retail and leisure development will see the creation of a new sustainable community on the site of a former railway siding – breathing new life into Barrow’s once bustling waterfront and vastly improving the image of the town as a dynamic and progressive place to live, work and relax. It is complemented by a 350-berth marina, which will put Barrow firmly on the itineraries of boat owners and yachties and establish the town as the “sea gateway” to the Lake District.

Marina Village and the Leisure Marina amount to a £105 million investment – with £20 million being sought from public sector funds – and will be delivered in phases over a ten to fifteen year period. Work could start on the first phase of housing in the next few years, although the development of a Leisure Marina and new access canal has been put on hold until market conditions improve. A £2 million Cumbria County Council-led project to create a brand new Wetland Nature Reserve at Cavendish Dock has already been completed. The dock has long been used as a reservoir for the adjacent Roosecote gas-fired power station, creating a special habitat for many species, including wildfowl and mute swans, due to the artificial rise in water temperature.
 
#10 ·
Boss takes on wind farm in new battle
November 20th 2010, by Paul Tully, The Journal


AN entrepreneur thwarted in his attempt to create a luxury holiday park in rural Northumberland is gearing up for a new battle.

Sherod Walker, the man behind plans for Waterfalls holiday park and equestrian centre at Birtley, near Ridsdale, north of Hexham, has been given a February 1 appeal date against the county council’s rejection of his ambitious plans for the 16-acre site.

But now he has also submitted a second application for a smaller development of three holiday cottages and two stables on land next to his house on the Waterfalls estate.

And he has been immediately faced with objections from Wind Prospect Developments Ltd, which operates Green Rigg Wind Farm 450 metres from the Waterfalls park boundary.

The company says a number of “procedural issues” including agricultural holding, landscaping and access have not been properly resolved in the planning application.

And they say that noise from the wind farm – which was given planning permission earlier this year but is not yet fully operational – means Mr Walker must take into account the effect of that noise on any new development.

But the 25-year-old Northumberland-born entrepreneur said: “It’s taken me by surprise because effectively they are saying they are having a negative impact on the area.

“At the end of the day, I am building on my land and the fact is that I have been told my residential amenity will not be adversely affected.

“It’s basically David and Goliath – they think they can do what they like where they like.”

Mr Walker’s original plans for Waterfalls Holiday Park included 18 holiday chalets, three cottages, a 16-horse equestrian centre and carriage house, a lake, fitness suite, restaurant, swimming pool, sauna, shop and combined heat and power plant.

The scheme, expected to create 106 construction jobs and 67 full-time posts, would have injected £2m a year into the local economy, he says.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...m-in-new-battle-61634-27684703/#ixzz15oRgmJ7m
 
#11 ·
Tourism benefits outlined in eco-holiday park plans
by Paul Tully, The Journal, February 2nd 2011


A LUXURY eco-holiday complex in a Northumberland beauty spot would make an important contribution to county tourism without damaging the landscape, the young entrepreneur behind the scheme claimed yesterday.

Sherod Walker, who wants to build the Waterfall Country Estate on 16 acres of open land near the A68 at Ridsdale in the North Tyne, told a planning appeal the zero-carbon development would blend into the picturesque landscape without harm.

Mr Walker, a 25-year-old Northumbrian, has taken the county council and the owners of a planned wind farm site to a public inquiry after being refused permission for the holiday centre.

The council and Wind Prospect Development Ltd, who are behind plans for a nearby windfarm with 18 wind turbines, are both opposing the plans.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...iday-park-plans-61634-28098053/#ixzz1CnKxxGEe
 
#12 ·
New academy boosts green energy drive
by Sonia Sharma, The Journal, February 8th 2011


EFFORTS to keep the North East at the forefront of the renewable energy industry have been boosted with the news of a pioneering academy to train engineers of the future.

The new facility planned at Hadrian Road, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Under the proposals, an old warehouse will be transformed into the centre for learning.

Run by Newcastle College, it will focus on innovation, training and development in the field of offshore wind and renewable energy technologies.

The site will be demolished and redeveloped by Shepherd Offshore and Elliott Associates. The new 20,000 sq ft centre, designed by Ryder Architecture, will provide students with the skills needed in the growing renewable energies sector.

The plans, due to be discussed by a North Tyneside Council planning committee next week, were developed with support from major employers in the industry including Shepherd Offshore, Duco Ltd, Wellstream and Clipper Windpower.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...en-energy-drive-61634-28131181/#ixzz1DMKRz846
 
#13 ·
New academy boosts green energy drive
by Sonia Sharma, The Journal, February 8th 2011


EFFORTS to keep the North East at the forefront of the renewable energy industry have been boosted with the news of a pioneering academy to train engineers of the future.

The new facility planned at Hadrian Road, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Under the proposals, an old warehouse will be transformed into the centre for learning.

Run by Newcastle College, it will focus on innovation, training and development in the field of offshore wind and renewable energy technologies.

The site will be demolished and redeveloped by Shepherd Offshore and Elliott Associates. The new 20,000 sq ft centre, designed by Ryder Architecture, will provide students with the skills needed in the growing renewable energies sector.

The plans, due to be discussed by a North Tyneside Council planning committee next week, were developed with support from major employers in the industry including Shepherd Offshore, Duco Ltd, Wellstream and Clipper Windpower.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...en-energy-drive-61634-28131181/#ixzz1DMKRz846
A positive move, no doubt.
And Newcastle college and the various companies involved deserve credit for trying to making this happen.
I hope North Tyneside council treat this application positively.
 
#14 ·
I wonder if that is in relation to the planned wind power & renewable energy investment which has been earmarked for this site ?
The Clipper factory must be nearing completion some time this year.
The Clipper Windpower Factory is open and has already had deliveries of cargo by sea.

Not sure as to what Part 2B of the development in the former NEPTUNE YARD actually involves from the perspective of what is going to be built on the site.
 
#15 ·
New academy boosts green energy drive
by Sonia Sharma, The Journal, February 8th 2011


EFFORTS to keep the North East at the forefront of the renewable energy industry have been boosted with the news of a pioneering academy to train engineers of the future.

The new facility planned at Hadrian Road, in Wallsend, North Tyneside, is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Under the proposals, an old warehouse will be transformed into the centre for learning.

Run by Newcastle College, it will focus on innovation, training and development in the field of offshore wind and renewable energy technologies.

The site will be demolished and redeveloped by Shepherd Offshore and Elliott Associates. The new 20,000 sq ft centre, designed by Ryder Architecture, will provide students with the skills needed in the growing renewable energies sector.

The plans, due to be discussed by a North Tyneside Council planning committee next week, were developed with support from major employers in the industry including Shepherd Offshore, Duco Ltd, Wellstream and Clipper Windpower.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...en-energy-drive-61634-28131181/#ixzz1DMKRz846
North Tyneside council have granted planning permission for the academy, so building work should start on the site pretty quickly.
 
#16 ·
Call to put brakes on wind turbines in Northumberland
by David Black, The Journal, February 22nd 2011


CALLS were made last night for a slowdown in wind farm approvals in Northumberland - amid claims the county is doing far more than its fair share on meeting renewable energy targets.

Local environmental campaigners say England’s most northerly county has already approved four times as much wind generation as any other county outside the North East.

They claim Northumberland is already meeting renewables targets set for 2060 – and it is now ‘time to take stock’ in terms of how many more massive turbines should be given the green light.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-northumberland-61634-28210002/#ixzz1EgGJzqjO
 
#18 ·
Wind turbine firms snub the North East
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, March 23rd 2011


CHANCELLOR George Osborne has been told wind turbine firms are snubbing the North East because it is unable to offer any incentives.

The boss of development agency One North East, Paul Callaghan, has raised concerns the vitally important offshore wind manufacturing industry is heading to Scotland and Europe because the region no longer has the money and influence to attract them.

One North East has played a vital role in attracting big-name firms to the banks of the River Tyne in particular, a success rate the coalition Government deemed insufficient when deciding to abolish the agency by 2012.

Mr Callaghan, speaking before MPs and business chiefs, said he was disappointed the region is now not able to further build on its success in bringing the likes of Clipper Windpower to Tyneside.

He said there should be three or four more major firms – with presumably thousands more jobs – on their way, but that a lack of incentives for them was preventing such investment.

A major investment announcement for Tyneside is due this week, but insiders say they fear this may be the last bit of good news for a while.

Mr Callaghan, also head of leading software firm Leighton, said: “We have no incentives now for One North East to offer. And yet the Scottish and other parts of Europe do have something to offer.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-the-north-east-61634-28386668/#ixzz1HPZ8cHNd
 
#19 ·
Dismay at wind farm approval
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, April 7th 2011


CONTROVERSIAL plans for a wind farm in the Northumberland countryside have been approved, to the dismay of residents.

The planning application from Inifinis (Novera) for six turbines at Wingates, near Rothbury, has been approved by Northumberland County Council.

Objectors were last night angered by the decision, claiming local opposition had been overriden by national policy, and feared the approval may open the floodgates for other schemes.

The application was submitted to the now defunct Alnwick District Council in 2008. It has been opposed since then by residents, who formed the Wingates not Wind Farms action group.

A total of 75 letters of objection were submitted by local people, along with a petition of 141 signatures. Opposition also came in from four parish councils – Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst, Longhorsley, Netherwitton, and Nunnykirk.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...d-farm-approval-61634-28474465/#ixzz1Ip2HWHc6
 
#20 ·
A bit of news from Sedgefield , ---this from the Northern Echo, --


Villagers feel windfarm plan will blight their lives
6:11pm Thursday 14th April 2011

Print Email Share Comments(1) By Ian Noble »
Reporter (Thirsk)


VILLAGERS are battling controversial plans to build three 110metre high turbines which they claim will blight their lives.

Wind Prospect, an international renewable energy developer, wants to build the two megawatt turbines at Foxton, near to Sedgefield.

Locals fear approving the plans will mean they will be encircled by several small-scale windfarms.

There are already ten turbines at Butterwick Moor, Sedgefield, with plans on hold for four 125metre turbines at nearby Lambs Hill, Stillington.

John Holloway, of Foxton Woods Kennels, said: "There’s the visual impact and a lot of us are against this.

"We can see 17 turbines at Butterwick Moor and there’s going to be another four less than a mile away at Stillington.

"If this plan gets approved there will be another three just half a mile away and we’ll be almost enclosed by them.

Read more http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne...s_feel_windfarm_plan_will_blight_their_lives/
 
#21 ·
Here's a Development plan that's been passed, --this from the Northern Echo, --



Residents' anger as wind farm gets green light

9:10am Monday 16th May 2011
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By Graeme Hetherington »


A CONTROVERSIAL wind farm has won Government approval after campaigners called for a public inquiry into the scheme.

Banks Developments has been cleared to start work on four, 125m turbines at Lambs Hill Farm, near Stillington.

The Lambs Hill Action Group (LHAG) asked for the planning application to be reviewed after raising concerns over how the decision was made by Stockton Borough Council.

But the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has now decided the scheme, between Darlington and Stockton, does not require further investigation.
Read more http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9028659.Residents__anger_as_wind_farm_gets_green_light/?ref=ec
 
#22 ·
Blyth National Renewable Energy Centre gets £25m investment
The Journal, July 8th 2011


THE North East’s position as a leading international centre for offshore wind power was yesterday cemented with a £25m investment in new test facilities.

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) will invest the cash into a new turbine test rig at Blyth’s National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec).

The UK has Europe’s biggest wind resource, but until now, has had no dedicated full turbine test facility.

The indoor rig should be available for commercial testing from June 2013, with preparatory work already under way.

The test rig will be larger and more complex than anything currently available and help manufacturers increase reliability of new turbines, which should see consumers enjoy lower energy bills.

Narec chief executive Andrew Mill said the new test rig would build on the centre’s existing facilities – and critically help attract companies to develop offshore wind turbines to the UK.

“The North East has got a fantastic offering for the offshore market because of the existing activities that we have done, such as shipbuilding. This takes the North East to being one of the premier centres for offshore wind power in the UK and Europe,” said Mr Mill.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-25m-investment-61634-29016112/#ixzz1RV8rsq3o
 
#23 ·
Blyth National Renewable Energy Centre gets £25m investment
The Journal, July 8th 2011


THE North East’s position as a leading international centre for offshore wind power was yesterday cemented with a £25m investment in new test facilities.

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) will invest the cash into a new turbine test rig at Blyth’s National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec).

The UK has Europe’s biggest wind resource, but until now, has had no dedicated full turbine test facility.

The indoor rig should be available for commercial testing from June 2013, with preparatory work already under way.

The test rig will be larger and more complex than anything currently available and help manufacturers increase reliability of new turbines, which should see consumers enjoy lower energy bills.

Narec chief executive Andrew Mill said the new test rig would build on the centre’s existing facilities – and critically help attract companies to develop offshore wind turbines to the UK.

“The North East has got a fantastic offering for the offshore market because of the existing activities that we have done, such as shipbuilding. This takes the North East to being one of the premier centres for offshore wind power in the UK and Europe,” said Mr Mill.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-25m-investment-61634-29016112/#ixzz1RV8rsq3o
Really good news. Those turbines are huge, it's not easy to just fly your prototype in to test it, so you ideally need to build it nearby. And seeing as prototypes are tested, adpated, tested again, you might as well situate your design and research facilities nearby the testing facilities etc...Hopefully this'll lead to a fair few highly skilled jobs popping up nearby soon (with production following with luck).
 
#24 ·
Newton Aycliffe news, --this from the Northern Echo, --


Fight vow as wind farm plan unveiled

9:00am Tuesday 19th July 2011


By Joe Willis »
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CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to fight a proposal to erect England’s biggest wind farm in County Durham – despite its communities being in line for a £11.5m windfall if the scheme goes ahead.

Energy company E.ON today publishes its plans to erect between 25 and 45 turbines east of Newton Aycliffe.

The Isles wind farm would have a capacity of up to 115MW – enough to power 53,000 homes.

E.ON has pledged to pay up to £460,000 a year into a community benefits fund, if the scheme is approved.

The money would be paid for the lifetime of the wind farm – potentially 25 years.

The application would be one of the first in the region to be fast tracked by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) – an independent body that examines applications of national significance.

A final decision would then be made by the Secretary of State.

But community leaders are already drawing up plans to derail the proposal, which they say would leave rural households surrounded by huge turbines.


Read more http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne...9146211.Fight_vow_as_wind_farm_plan_unveiled/
 
#25 ·
Claim that 'Wind Farm' plan will destroy landscape
by Paul Tully, The Journal, July 27th 2011


WIND TURBINES planned for a scenic area in the heart of Northumberland would “overwhelm and destroy” the landscape, a public inquiry was told yesterday.

The four 125-metre-high turbines at Kirkharle were on an unjustifiable scale and would dominate and detract from the area, Paul Tucker QC said.

Mr Tucker, representing Northumberland County Council on the first day of a two-week inquiry, said the scheme devised by green energy firm RWE Renewables of Swindon would blight the life of residents in and around the Bavington Conservation Area.

The council accepted the principle of wind farm development and was “acutely aware” of national Government energy targets, Mr Tucker added, but this is an inappropriate development and undermines confidence in the low-carbon agenda,” he said.

“The applicants could in our opinion have designed a scheme which respects the area and protects its future. Turbines on this unjustifiable scale will dominate and detract from the area and replace it with a wind farm landscape.”


Read More (Two Pages) - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...stroy-landscape-61634-29124788/#ixzz1TILXzt2u
 
#26 ·
Northumberland a wind turbine dumping ground
The Journal, August 4th 2011


NORTHUMBERLAND has become a "dumping ground" for wind turbines, a county councillor claims.

According to Wansbeck and Sleekburn Labour councillor Jeff Gobin, there are other counties in England which don’t have any wind farms but Northumberland is being overwhelmed with applications.

Coun Gobin spoke out firmly against proposals from Newcastle-based TNEI for a three-year wind-speed test mast standing 80 metres high on scenic land near the hamlet of Molesden, between Morpeth and Whalton.

It is commonly perceived as the forerunner to another wind farm in Northumberland, and local residents have set a major protest campaign in motion.

Coun Gobin told a packed meeting of the County Council’s Planning and Environment Committee: “I question the need for this mast in the first place.

“It looks like the North East, particularly Northumberland, has become the dumping ground for these wind turbines.

“There are counties throughout the country that have no wind turbines. Let’s have them at Buckingham Palace or the Houses of Parliament – but not just in our back yards.”


Read More (Two Pages) - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-dumping-ground-61634-29176648/#ixzz1U2slh7nQ
 
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