THE government announced on Monday it was planning to make £6 million available to help Vestas Technology UK in the creation of a research and development centre on the Island.
But the cash will not stop the Danish turbine manufacturer from controversially shutting the Island’s manufacturing factory.
Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, was tackled over whether it was truly new money, given the centre, to be built on the west bank of the River Medina, was announced at the start of the year.
"We are doing all we can to help Vestas. We are providing them with £6 million; that will hopefully secure 150 jobs on the IW. Those are jobs that depend on the money we are announcing today," said Mr Miliband.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change is awarding Vestas more than £3 million as part of the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) scheme, which has been matched by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).
The new centre will safeguard 100 jobs and create a further 150 on the Island in the short term, and may offer jobs to some workers from Vestas’ closing manufacturing plant.
Jim Brathwaite, SEEDA chairman, said: "It will put the Island at the forefront of developing the next generation of off-shore wind turbines that the UK needs to deploy in significant numbers over the next decade."
Welcoming the news, IW Council leader, Cllr David Pugh, said: "While we are disappointed at Vestas’ decision to withdraw their manufacturing plant from the Island, we have always recognised the need to have an ongoing constructive dialogue with the company given their commitment to establish an R&D facility locally.
"The council believes the Island has tremendous potential to develop green technology and will be doing all it can alongside its partners to help bring about further investment."
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