Transport

Scottish and Southern Energy joins forces with Mitsubishi

UK utility Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has signed a strategic agreement with Japanese giant Mitsubishi to develop low-carbon energy technologies together.

The two companies say they plan to explore technologies such as offshore wind farms, smart electricity grids and low-carbon vehicles, carbon capture and storage and high-efficiency power generation.

Initially, though, efforts will be focused on delivering renewable energy from offshore generation sites and the deployment of low-carbon vehicles.

The partnership will build on SSE’s plans to create a Centre of Engineering Excellence in Renewable Energy in Glasgow with local Strathclyde University, creating 100 new engineering-based jobs. Over the next five years, up to 1000 new jobs are expected to be created at the Centre.

SSE and Mitsubishi say they ultimately hope to set up joint development programmes, new ventures or investments in the low-carbon sector.

“This agreement represents one of the most significant industrial partnerships to be established in Scotland since the heyday of North Sea oil,” says chief operating officer of SSE, Colin Hood. “Low carbon energy represents Scotland’s biggest economic opportunity since then.”

The agreement has been warmly welcomed by First Minister Alex Salmond as delivering a further boost to Scotland’s growing low-carbon economy.

Meanwhile, SSE’s renewables division, SSE Renewables, has ordered 68 wind turbines with a capacity of 2.3 MW each from Siemens for the Griffin wind farm northwest of Perth in the Scottish Highlands.

The 156 MW wind farm, which is expected to be completed in 2012, will be the first time that Siemens’ SWT-2.3-101 turbine with a 101 m rotor will be deployed in the UK.

Siemens will also supply turbines to SSE Renewables’ 350 MW Clyde project, which is expected to be commissioned in 2012.

For further information:
www.scottish-southern.co.uk/
www.mhi.co.jp/en/
www.sserenewables.com/
www.siemens.co.uk

19 July 2010

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