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Wind Turbine Factory

Doubt over Isle of Sheppey Vestas wind turbine factory

The world's leading wind turbine manufacturer has warned the government it will not build a new factory in Kent unless it gets more detail on the UK's plans for renewable energy.

The Danish company Vestas has an option to buy land at Sheerness docks to build a manufacturing plant employing up to 2,000 people to produce giant offshore wind turbines.

But it says politicians have to do more to make it happen.

The president of Vestas Offshore Wind, Anders Soe-Jensen, said if the government did not offer more clarity then customers would not buy the turbines and they "won't build the factory".

Despite months of talks and the government White Paper supporting renewable energy, Vestas is nervous.

It is worried that the companies who will buy its turbines do not know how much they will be paid to produce electricity.

The complications appear to be based on what are known as ROCs, or Renewable Obligation Certificates, which are used to make power companies purchase an agreed amount of power from renewable sources.

Vestas wants the government to make decisions about ROCs so that it can make the business case for the new factory.

There appears to be a willingness from Vestas and local politicians at Kent County Council to build this factory, but Vestas can be ruthless.

It closed down its factory on the Isle of Wight in 2009 because of poor orders, with the loss of 425 jobs.

Source: BBC News Website http://news.bbc.co.uk

New Ferry Service

Fast ferry Drammen–Boulogne autumn 2008

UK operators Chikara Shipping is to operate the first fast ferry (a BGV – Bateaux Grande Vitesse) between Drammen in Norway and Boulogne in France from the autumn of 2008. Chikara Shipping has ordered five super-fast ferries of type BGV C 160, costing a total of NOK 3.0 billion. The second ferry will be deployed between Sheerness in the south of England and Boulogne.

The fast ferry is 160 metres long, 51 metres wide and the two decks have a capacity of between 86 and 94 trailers. The agreement between BGV France and Chikara Shipping was signed on November 27.

Source: Scandinavian Shipping Gazette http://www.shipgaz.com

Sheppey Crossing

A new bridge over the Swale, connecting the Isle of Sheppey with mainland Kent, has been opened.

Roads Minister Stephen Ladyman, MP for South Thanet, opened the Sheppey Crossing and led a procession across the bridge before it opened to traffic.

The £100m four-lane crossing, which will carry about 26,000 vehicles a day, is the first fixed link to the island.

Until now, drivers had to wait for the Kingsferry Bridge to be raised and lowered for shipping traffic to pass.

'New life'

It carried about twice the number of vehicles it was designed for in the 1950s and regularly added 15 minutes to the journey times of people crossing to and from the mainland.

View from the new Sheppey Crossing

Campaigners began lobbying for a fixed link in the 1970s.

"There were so many promises, I never really thought that something would happen until I saw construction actually start," said Bill Hogben, former vice-chairman of Sheppey Chamber of Trade.

The 115ft-high (35m) bridge is part of a Highways Agency scheme to upgrade the A249 between Queenborough on Sheppey and Iwade on the mainland.

It is hoped reduced journey times and congestion will encourage economic regeneration in north Kent.

Mr Ladyman said: "The new bridge is playing a major role in bringing new life to Sheppey by improving the transport links between the island, the M2 motorway and the rest of Kent.

"The bridge will greatly improve accessibility to the regeneration areas on Sheppey, including the port of Sheerness."

Pedestrians and cyclists will not be allowed to use the new crossing, but should have a much quieter and safer journey across Kingsferry Bridge, according to the Highways Agency.

Sir Roger Moate, who was Conservative MP for the area until 1997, lobbied colleagues at Westminster for the new bridge, but said it would not change Sheppey - which measures about nine miles by five miles.

"Sheppey is an island and putting up one bridge does not change that - it is still a unique part of the south of England," he said.

Source: BBC News Website http://news.bbc.co.uk