Siemens Gamesa in a news statement said it started manufacturing wind turbines at its manufacturing facility in Le Havre, France.
Siemens Gamesa did not reveal investment in the largest industrial renewable energy project in France. Siemens Gamesa said it will also have an installation hub on the same plot, allowing direct load out of wind turbine components to French offshore wind power plants.
Siemens Gamesa said it will be manufacturing of both its offshore Direct Drive wind turbine nacelles and IntegralBlades under one roof, a first for the third largest wind turbine maker in the world.
The Le Havre facility of Siemens Gamesa has created 500 jobs locally out of the 750 total direct and indirect jobs. The remaining 250 positions are expected to be filled between the end of calendar year 2022 and early 2023.
“This investment serves as a major driver of the economic growth story in Normandy and in the French offshore wind industry,” says Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit.
Siemens Gamesa and local partners UIMM Le Havre, AFPI, and AFPA have created a dedicated training center for new employees and the new offshore wind specific competencies.
“The first nacelles and blades headed for the Bay of Saint Brieuc and the Fecamp projects are tangible proof of the power of commitment to renewable energy in France. The French Offshore Sector Deal recently signed by the French Government commits to 18 GW to be installed by 2035 and for awards growing from 2 GW per year from 2025 onwards,” said Filippo Cimitan, Managing Director of Siemens Gamesa France.
Siemens Gamesa has approximately 2.5 GW of capacity currently announced in France. They include the firm orders for the 496 MW Bay of Saint Brieuc project, the 497 MW Fecamp project, the 448 MW Calvados (formerly Courseulles-sur-Mer) project, and the 24 MW Provence Grand Large floating offshore wind power project.
Preferred supplier agreements include the 496 MW Yeu Noirmoutier project and the 496-MW Dieppe le Tréport project. The projects will in total use both Siemens Gamesa 7 MW and 8 MW offshore Direct Drive nacelles, as well as 75-meter long B75 blades and 81-meter long B81 blades.