Ming Yang’s £1.5bn investment in Scotland blocked – Daily Business

Ming Yang will not be investing in Scotland

Chinese renewable energy company Ming Yang has been blocked from investing £1.5 billion in the Highlands in what would have been the UK’s largest wind turbine manufacturing plant.

The UK government has decided on security grounds not to allow the facility at Ardersier Port near Nairn, which would have been a huge economic boost to the region with the promise of 1,500 jobs.

The UK government said the turbines from the facility would not be suitable for UK offshore wind projects and it could not support their use.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “After careful consideration, government’s view is that we cannot support the use of them in UK offshore wind projects.

“We will always act to protect our national security, and we are committed to strengthening and prioritising resilient and sustainable offshore wind supply chains.”

He added: “We welcome investment from China where it’s in our national interest – as demonstrated by significant inward investment during the prime minister’s recent visit to Beijing. 

“We will continue to take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to our relationship with China – cooperating where we can, whilst never compromising on security and resilience.”

Ming Yang said it was disappointed by the decision but would continue to “engage constructively” with the UK government.

It said: “We will continue to engage constructively with the UK government, including on the important topic of national security, and remain committed to supporting the UK’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

“We continue to believe in the long-term potential of the UK market, and our planned activities remain unchanged.”

Rumours that a decision was imminent had swirled around Holyrood today after Ming Yang had intimated that it could take the investment elsewhere in Europe.

Independent MSP Fergus Ewing used the last question at the final First Minister’s Questions before parliament dissolves to seek clarification.

“Rumours now suggest that [Ed] Miliband of the UK Government is about to reject this in the grounds of national security,” he said. “But industry in Scotland say a technical solution to those concerns can be met, and it should be met by an open tendering competition by the UK Government.

The former SNP energy minister told Holyrood went on: “So will he [John Swinney], as Alex Salmond most certainly would, move heaven and earth to secure this, the largest ever investment in Scotland. And will he persuade the UK Government that to do anything other than to approve it would be an act of abject betrayal.”

Mr Swinney said he recognised “the seriousness and the significance of the issue” and said the lack of a UK Government decision on the plant was “causing no end of frustration”.

Danish firm plans 500 jobs at Scottish turbine factory

#Ming #Yangs #1.5bn #investment #Scotland #blocked #Daily #Business