Isra-Mart srl:Exclusive: XEMC Darwind edges towards turbine factory decision

www.isra-mart.com

Isra-mart srl news:

A Chinese-backed offshore wind startup has revealed it is close to selecting a European location for its latest manufacturing plant, although the final decision on where to locate the facility is likely to rest on the level of government support available.

Vincent van den Brekel, chief executive of XEMC Darwind told BusinessGreen that the company has carried out feasibility studies for potential sites for manufacturing its giant 5MW offshore turbines and now expects to choose a location by the end of the first quarter next year.

Earlier this year, BusinessGreen revealed XEMC Darwind was weighing up the merits of two potential sites in Newcastle and Fife as preferred locations.

However, since then the company has also studied sites in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the Netherlands.

Van den Brekel said the decision hinges on how much financial support the company would receive from the government for demonstration sites, as well as the region's proximity to Round 3 wind farms and a skilled workforce.

The company sent out questionnaires to the areas in question to find out if they would be willing to help fund a demonstration project. Van den Brekel said the company is now weighing up the responses.

Although the company is still considering the proposed Dutch location, van den Brekel insisted the UK was firmly in the running. However, he urged the government to bolster its support for startups and not focus solely on supporting larger firms such as Siemens and General Electric.

"The government has to play a proactive role," he said. "We are willing to relocate to the UK, but in order for us to make a decision they would have to open the market and step away from the idea that government should not get involved in this.

"They are supporting the market a lot in terms of planning and establishing Round 3, but what they are not doing is playing an active role in innovation. We often see that only the big players get help and not the innovative startup companies."

His comments echo those made by the Department for Energy and Climate Change's Youth Advisory Panel yesterday, which urged the government to extend its support for offshore wind innovation, and particularly help finance and facilitate the development of floating turbines.

Commenting on the implications of the Irish financial crisis, van den Brekel said the company might be deterred by the country's recent economic woes. However, he inisisted Ireland had not been ruled out.

"The situation in Ireland has impacted our studies, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't consider it," he said. "If Ireland can guarantee a substantial rollout for our turbines, then we would be able to overcome the situation."