The Chancellor of the Exchequer visited a global leader in renewable energy in Hull today to discuss how green jobs will drive the UK's future economy and recovery from the pandemic.
To mark six months until Glasgow hosts the COP26 climate conference, Rishi Sunak visited Siemens Gamesa, who are planning to double the size of their site in Hull and create 250 green jobs.
During a tour of the factory, he met apprentices and operatives manufacturing wind turbines, before viewing the first blade due to be sent off to Hornsea Two next week off the Yorkshire coast in the North Sea. Once completed, it will be the world's largest offshore windfarm and will power 1.3 million households.
The Chancellor discussed the Prime Minister's £12bn Ten Point Plan to build back better through a green industrial revolution that will see 250,000 jobs created across the UK and could unlock three times as much private investment.
In the Humber, the government is investing tens of millions to upgrade the port for offshore wind, creating 3,000 new jobs and putting the region at the heart of our world-leading offshore wind industry.
Humber has also been awarded freeport status, which will attract more private investment in green industries and boost the local economy - helping deliver the government's commitment to level up the UK.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:
The UK is the largest producer of offshore wind energy in the world, and we are putting the Humber at the heart of our green recovery.
That is why we are investing tens of millions of pounds to create over 3,000 new jobs to upgrade the new port for offshore wind, as well as granting it freeport status to attract green investment.
With six months to go until the UK hosts COP26 in Glasgow, it is clear that the Humber will play a critical role as we lead the world in building back better and greener from the pandemic.
Clark MacFarlane, UK Managing Director at Siemens Gamesa, said:
It's been a pleasure for us at Siemens Gamesa to be part of Chancellor Sunak's visit to Hull. As the UK's leading supplier of Wind Turbines and investor in UK jobs, it's been great for us to showcase our state of the art facility, pioneering technology and our people who help us to drive and achieve our aims, especially during these unprecedented times.
Siemens Gamesa is a global technology leader in the renewable energy industry - specifically in the development, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of wind turbines. They have been a pioneer in renewables since the 1980s and their factory in Hull, based in Alexandra Dock, first opened for production in September 2016.
