The world’s biggest wind turbine is to be built in the Scottish east coast town of Methil, once the epicentre of the country’s coal industry.
Bloomberg reports that Samsung Heavy Industry Co. plans to construct the 7MW model, with a span of 171 metres, due to the town’s proximity to three North Sea sites that will accommodate almost one fifth of the 5,000 new turbines the U.K.
The UK currently has the world’s biggest wind power programme, with 3,300 megawatts of installed offshore wind capacity, or about 970 turbines, which is more than the rest of the world combined.
The government has set a target of 18,000 megawatts by 2020, which they hope will add an estimated £60bn to the U.K. economy.
“There are opportunities across the spectrum,” said Maf Smith, deputy director of RenewableUK, a trade group for wind and tidal energy companies.
“Service vessels need a port close to the wind farm because of fuel and weather considerations. Manufacturing is significant because it has a long lifetime.”
Britain’s alternative-energy plans have already reaped benefits for cities such as Hull and Belfast.
It has also boosted returns for investors including Goldman Sachs, who has invested heavily into the alternative energy sector in recent years.
