Vestas May Create Scotland's First Turbine Blade Factory

Vestas, the global wind turbine manufacturer is securing planning permission for a new factory in Scotland- the first of its kind in the country. 

The move will further enhance the renewable energy sector, bringing hundreds of high-skilled jobs and ending Scottish reliance on imported equipment.

Increasing the proportion of supply chain operations that are based in Scotland will further boost Scottish offshore wind development, rivalling the UK with its two wind turbine blade-producing factories.

The proposed site is Edinburgh’s Leith Docks, known as one of Scotland’s green freeports, where companies can apply for tax breaks to encourage investment. 

These freeports provide quayside space for assembling offshore wind installations, prompting increased manufacturing development. 

The proposed plan is that the Leith factory will produce Vestas’ new offshore blade the B236 which is 115 metres long and boasts an average output capable of powering roughly 13,000 homes.

Manufacturing blades for wind turbines requires extensive high-skilled labour to be produced at scale, constituting a critical part of the supply chain for wind turbines.

Built primarily from resin and composite fibreglass, ensuring quality control and peak efficiency is essential. 

The Danish manufacturer cautions that a final investment decision hasn’t been made, in part due to uncertainty surrounding the orders of offshore wind developers and other market conditions.

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