Humber region to benefit from £6bn investment by DONG Energy

The report – Impact of DONG Energy Investments in the Humber Area – reveals that between 2015 and 2020, the energy company will support an average of 1,600 construction jobs per year in the Humber, and up to 500 long-term jobs could be created in the company’s operations and maintenance activity from 2020.

The report also highlights how DONG Energy’s offshore wind farms in the Humber will meet the electricity needs of over 1.5 million homes once future projects are fully operational, and that £1.2bn potential Gross Value Added could be secured in the same region from 2010 – 2030 as a result of the company’s investments.

Brent Cheshire, DONG Energy’s UK country chairman, said: “Our £6bn of investment in the Humber by 2019 is creating long-term high-skills jobs, supporting a thriving UK supply chain and helping the region continue as a hub for the UK’s renewable energy sector.

“Along with other offshore wind companies, we are making a major contribution to the development of the Northern Powerhouse, building strong local economies for years to come.”

DONG Energy currently has two offshore wind farms (Lincs and Westermost Rough) in operation on the East Coast, meeting the electricity needs of over 340,000 homes. Two further projects - Race Bank and Hornsea Project One - are under construction or in development.

DONG Energy has also acquired the lease for the rest of the Hornsea offshore wind development zone and if built, Hornsea Project Two and Hornsea Project Three could deliver a further 3GW of offshore wind power, and additional investment into the Humber region beyond 2019.

The report further highlights that DONG Energy’s involvement in the Humber has been supportive of a number of wider developments, such as the construction of the Siemens wind turbine factory in Hull.

The investment that DONG Energy and others have made to develop offshore wind farms in the Humber area has triggered a range of new skills and training developments and investments locally. These include Hull University investing in training provision to serve the offshore wind sector, Hull College opening a Digital and Green Energy Centre to support local businesses and offer qualifications, and an £11m investment into a new University Technical College (UTC) in Scunthorpe specialising in engineering and renewably energy.

Impact of DONG Energy Investments in the Humber Area was produced by Regeneris Consulting and released during Offshore Wind Week.