The leading provider of specialist equipment and skilled workers for offshore wind farm projects has announced it will open a new Centre of Excellence in Aberdeen.

The move comes after Great British Energy’s move to the city and will see a major £1.6 million investment from Sarens PSG.

It says the facility will create 25 new jobs initially and boost the city’s heavy lifting and engineered transport capabilities significantly.

The company says the final decision to locate the centre in the Granite City was heavily influenced by confirmation that Great British Energy would have its headquarters in the city.

Steve Clark, Managing Director of Sarens PSG, said: "The confirmation of Great British Energy’s HQ in Aberdeen is a game-changer for the city and the wider Scottish energy sector.

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“As we push to accelerate offshore wind development, it’s clear we need a unified, dedicated approach to ensure that all the necessary resources - facilities, people, and expertise - are in place.

“Great British Energy’s presence in Aberdeen, along with the £400m South Harbour development and other major offshore wind initiatives, made Aberdeen the ideal location for our new Centre of Excellence."

He added: "The offshore wind sector is a critical part of achieving our net-zero targets, but we’ve not been moving fast enough.

“With the support of Great British Energy and other key players, we now have the opportunity to turbocharge the delivery of these projects and ensure Scotland remains at the forefront of renewable energy development."

Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said: "We are already seeing the benefits of Great British Energy's HQ being in Aberdeen and this is more fantastic news for Aberdeen and the energy sector in Scotland.

"Sarens PSG creating new jobs focussed on renewables will help towards the UK Government's target of ensuring that all electricity comes from zero-carbon generation by 2030.

"We want the full benefits from our energy sector to be felt by people and communities in Scotland and I am delighted to welcome 25 new jobs to the north east."

The Centre of Excellent will be in Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone, at the Altens Industrial Estate and follows the completed purchase from Forbes Homes Ltd, with the handover scheduled for later this month.

The site is expected to go live next year and will be equipped with heavy-duty capabilities such as inspection pits, brake testing equipment and a wash bay to maximise uptime for its fleet of cranes and other heavy lifting equipment.

Mr Clark added: "This Centre of Excellence will be a world-class facility dedicated to supporting the delivery of offshore wind projects.

“It will provide us with a cutting-edge base for both engineering and operations, as well as a bespoke maintenance and training hub that ensures we remain at the forefront of the industry."

Sarens PSG was founded specifically to support Scotland’s renewable energy sector. The company is also exploring opportunities in green hydrogen and pumped hydro projects.

It has invested £12m in state-of-the-art equipment and facilities over the past two years.