Dawn of a new industry? North East to build world''s biggest turbine.

Byline: Adam Jupp

THE world's biggest wind turbine blades will be built in the North East after a pounds 4.4m Government grant was given to a green energy firm planning to locate in the region.

The move to award the cash to American giant Clipper Windpower was last night hailed as a key step in the rebirth of former shipyards on the banks of the River Tyne.

It is understood Clipper plan to manufacture the turbines in a purpose-built factory currently under construction in Walker, in Newcastle's East End, which will lead to around 1,000 jobs being created.

Climate change minister Ed Miliband made the announcement at the TUC Congress in Liverpool as part of plans to increase the amount of Britain's energy generated from green sources.

He revealed three firms, including Clipper, will share grants totaling pounds 6.5m to build turbines for the dozens of sites off the British coast earmarked for wind energy generation.

Clipper will use the cash to develop a prototype 70-metre blade for the firm's Britannia project, which will see the largest wind turbines in the world created.

North East minister Nick Brown, MP for Newcastle East and Wallsend, where Clipper's proposed factory is located, said: "This is pioneering work supported by Government and set to be carried out in the North East of England.

"This is welcome support for a new industry in our region, potentially creating more than 1,000 jobs."

The two other firms being awarded cash are Artemis Intelligent Power, which will be given pounds 1m to transfer their existing technology from automotive to wind energy and Siemens Wind Power, which will receive pounds 1.1m to develop the next generation power convertors for their larger offshore turbine.

The Clipper blades will weigh more than 30 tonnes and will form part of the turbines that will stand 175m tall and be sited off the British coast. Announcing the grants yesterday, Mr Miliband said: "With strong government backing, the UK is consolidating its lead in offshore wind energy. "We already have more offshore wind energy than any other country, we have the biggest wind farm in the world about to start construction, and now we'll see the biggest turbine blades in the world made here in Britain.

"Our coastline means the offshore wind industry has the potential to employ tens of thousands of workers by 2020, manufacturing, transporting, installing and operating new turbines. It will take an active Government to get us there and the funds I'm announcing today are part of the pounds 120m investment we are making this year and next in the wind industry to make that happen."

James Dehlsen, chairman of Clipper Windpower, said the grant was "timely" and would help speed up its Britannia project. The grant news was also welcomed by the New and Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), based in Blyth, Northumberland.

Director of business development Andy Williamson said: "We fully endorse the decision by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to award grants to Clipper Windpower, Artemis Intelligent Power and Siemens Wind Power UK, in support of their offshore wind technology development plans. We welcome this announcement as further proof of the long-term commitment from Government to encourage much-needed innovation in the sector.

"Narec is an independent centre for the development, testing and commercialisation of next generation technologies for the global wind energy industry and has played a major role in attracting Clipper Windpower to set up their turbine development team for Project Britannia in North East England.

"Our proposals to create a national hub for the industry in Blyth, Northumberland will involve expanding the wind campus, with the addition of dedicated drive train testing facilities.The continued investment in purpose-built national facilities to service the requirements of next generation machines is critical to accelerating their deployment offshore."

And the announcement also won the backing of rival political parties. Liberal Democrat spokesman for Newcastle East and city councillor Greg Stone said: "I have recently held discussions on this matter with project managers from Clipper, and look forward to further debate on the subject when I attend the forthcoming British Wind Energy Association conference in Liverpool in October, where I will be advancing the case for more jobs and investment on the Tyne."

He added: "While this is a welcome step, I continue to believe the Government needs to do more to ensure that offshore wind energy is a key part of our national energy strategy.

"I want to see a national Offshore Grid infrastructure established as quickly as possible, creating orders for Clipper and others, and ensuring we remain competitive in this sector against other European nations."

Friends of the Earth's renewable energy campaigner Nick Rau said: "It's great news for Britain that the world's biggest wind turbines will be made here. This is exactly the sort of development that the Government should be supporting.

"The UK has one of the biggest wind energy potentials in the world - we could be a world leader in developing green power and reap huge economic and environmental benefits."

20 SITES APPROVED FOR WIND FARMS THERE are currently nearly 20 sites approved for wind farms to be built off the shores of the UK.

A further 27 locations have been proposed but are still set to be agreed. Crown Estates, which owns all of the UK's seabeds, has entered the third stage of the tendering process to determine who will get the contracts to build them.

Currently, offshore farms account for just 1% of the world's wind capacity but many countries are set to massively expand this area in coming years.

It is predicted Britain will increase its offshore capacity more than 20 times over in the next decade.

Plans to build turbines on Tyneside are seen as ideal due to the fact parts can be floated up the river to industrial sites currently empty since the decline of shipbuilding.

Once they have been built, they can be shipped back down the river and out to where they will be sunk into the sea bed. Meanwhile, parts can also be tested by NAREC, based in Blyth, Northumberland, which is also vying for Government cash to expand its operation.

Many of the proposed and agreed locations are in the North Sea, stretching down the coastline of Scotland to East Anglia.

Offshore farms are huge in comparison to the onshore equivalent. To erect them, piles are first driven into the seabed, while erosion protection, similar to sea defences, is placed at the base to prevent damage to the sea floor.

Often, a section of the turbine will be painted a bright colour to make them visible to ships. Sensors detect the wind direction and turn the head, known as the nacelle, to face into the wind, so that the maximum amount of energy can be collected.