Humber renewable energy tour for German firms

The tour will visit the planned Siemens site at Hull Green Port, as well as Able Marine Energy Park and Tata Steel.

Senior figures from Germany's wind and renewable industries have begun a three-day trade tour of green energy projects in the Humber region.

Team Humber Marine Alliance (THMA), which organised the tour, said the trip would strengthen existing green energy trade links between the two countries.

Fifteen delegates from the German companies will be shown around sites which include Hull's Green Port.

THMA said the trip could entice more investors to the region.

Delegates will also be shown around Able Marine Energy Park, Tata Steel Scunthorpe, CATCH training facility at Stallingborough and Port of Grimsby East.

Mark O'Reilly of THMA, which is made up of more than 190 companies from the Humber region, said: "We have always wanted [European firms] to think of potential investment sites within the Humber and to develop relationships within the supply chain.

Humber 'key market'

Ronny Meyer of northwest Germany's Wind Energy Agency said the Humber was one of the leading regions for offshore wind in the UK and "an absolutely key market" for German companies.

He said: "The UK and Germany are probably the most significant markets for offshore wind in Europe, if not globally, and it is a win-win situation on both sides."

Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson, a patron of the Humber Marine Alliance, said the "pipe dream" of a fully fledged offshore wind industry on the Humber was becoming a reality.

Other renewable developments in the Humber region include DONG Energy in Grimsby and offshore wind developments at Westermost Rough and Dogger Bank.

Siemens has plans for a major wind turbine manufacturing plant at the proposed Green Port at at Alexandra Dock in Hull.