North East England is the ideal investment location from which to exploit the opportunities in the offshore renewables market.
The region has a wide range of deepwater facilities that are suitable for the full range of offshore wind industry requirements, from the manufacture of foundations, jackets, cables, blades and other key components to the siting of operations and maintenance (O&M) facilities.
The North East is one of eight Offshore Wind Clusters, recognised for our exceptional port infrastructure, skills, supply chain and public sector support underpinning rapid sector growth.
Siemens Energy, EDF Energy Renewables, Equinor, SSE Renewables, Smulders, Tekmar, SMD, JDR Cables and Osbit are just some of the world-renowned companies based in our region. SMD, for example, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of remote intervention equipment and has products manufactured on the Tyne working in every ocean.
North East England offers exceptional market access to the wind developments in the North Sea including Dogger Bank, Sofia, Hornsea and Firth of Forth. Equinor and SSE Renewables have located their Dogger Bank O&M facility on the Tyne.
Our region offers outstanding access to global markets, making it the perfect location for energy companies to grow. We are connected to the rest of the world by the Ports of Blyth, Sunderland and Tyne and have an international airport and an exceptional national rail network, allowing workforce movement throughout the UK and beyond.
The fantastic portfolio of property offers accommodation solutions to help businesses of all sizes to locate and grow. The region offers over 400ha of key riverside development land at 30 separate sites, including more than 7km of quay next to deep water.
The North East has a fantastic array of world-class research and development (R&D) and testing facilities, including the National Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Testing facility and Tyne Pressure Testing which both support a growing energy sector and the businesses located here.
Our highly skilled workforce is renowned for its exceptional productivity and loyalty. We employ more than 82,000 engineering workers and a further 116,000 in the wider manufacturing sector. Over 120,000 students study at our five outstanding universities, with more than half studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
To support a smooth transition to the region, Invest North East England can provide a range of services, including property searches, data on skills and guidance on incentives, as well as making introductions to specialist networks that can offer guidance and links to potential customers, opportunities and R&D support.
