Siemens unveils green energy centre plan

Plans were set out this week to create up to 340 new green engineering jobs in the north west of England in Manchester.

New roles will focus on the building of transmission systems to connect countries’ power networks to new energy sources – especially offshore wind.

While the new state-of-the-art building, which will be called The Renewable Energy Engineering Centre, will house Siemens Global Centre of Competence for High Voltage Grid Connections (HVDC).

According to Siemens director of major projects, John Willcock the UK Government’s commitment to carbon reduction targets and the need to invest in offshore wind generation has created a ‘buoyant’ market for HVDC systems.

He said: “The UK’s round three offshore wind farms will be sited much further out to sea than previous developments and so will need HVDC technology to overcome the power losses that occur when bringing electricity ashore over longer distances.

“Strengthening our UK expertise in HVDC is therefore central to Siemens’ strategy and will help us maintain our leading market position in the UK.”

Siemens has also said it will recruit ‘intensively’ from universities which are active in electrical and power engineering, both graduate and post-graduate

It also plans to tap into the existing workforce in the UK and across mainland Europe.

Luke Walsh