
Endurance Wind Power has welcomed publication of Renewable UK’s Small and Medium Wind Market Report which shows that the industry doubled in size last year and is now worth £100m to the British economy.
The report confirms the UK’s leading role in the sector, with a rapidly expanding manufacturing and skills base.
Endurance’s investment in new manufacturing facilities in Hartlebury in the West Midlands is evidence of this boom in the farm wind market. The plant is creating up to 100 new green jobs and will eventually build 100 turbines per year.
The first of the UK-built X29 225kW turbines came off the production line last month and was successfully installed on a farm in Cornwall. The new turbine will generate power for the dairy farm; up to 500 kWh per year – the equivalent electricity used by almost 150 homes.
Dave Rankin, Managing Director, Endurance UK, said: “Renewable UK’s new report shows the vital role that farm wind is playing in supporting the cash strapped rural economy, with 86% of small-scale turbines installed in rural areas. We’ve shown our long term commitment to the UK by investing in a new manufacturing facility with up to 100 new green jobs, so we can proudly say that when you choose an Endurance turbine, you’re supporting British jobs.”
Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of Renewable UK, commented: “With about 20% of our population living in rural areas, it’s vital that we find ways of powering the rural economy, and wind is doing exactly that. This technology is bringing over £100 million into the rural economy and in the past couple of years we have seen the market almost double in size.”
Endurance is a Canadian-based manufacturer of small-scale wind turbines designed specifically for farmers. It recently opened a manufacturing facility in Hartlebury which will produce and export up to 100 turbines per year and employ 100 people when fully up and running.
The first turbine came off the production line last month and the company is looking to host a formal opening in the New Year. This is the first production facility to be based in the UK that will manufacture turbines specifically for farms
Endurance Wind Power is show-casing its newest turbine, the X29, at Renewable UK’s International Small and Medium Wind Conference this week at the NEC.