Scottish provider of specialist equipment and skilled workers for offshore wind farm projects has announced a major £1.6 million investment to create a new Centre of Excellence in Aberdeen.
Sarens PSG say the facility, described today by the Scottish Secretary Ian Murray as “fantastic news”, will create 25 new jobs initially, and boost the city’s heavy lifting and engineered transport capabilities significantly – key to supporting the growth of the UK’s offshore wind sector.
They revealed a final decision to locate the centre in Aberdeen was heavily influenced by confirmation that Great British Energy, the UK Government’s new publicly owned clean energy company, will establish its headquarters in the city, coupled with investments by other key players.
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.
“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.”
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said, “Great British Energy is already off to a flying start in its mission to ramp-up the UK’s clean energy revolution.
“Our decision to put Great British Energy’s roots down in Aberdeen is already paying dividends, with fresh investment and new jobs from Sarens PSG that will help ensure the city thrives as Scotland’s clean energy capital.
“This comes on top of our recent agreement with the Scottish Government, that committed to explore opportunities for Great British Energy to partner with public bodies in accelerating clean energy deployment in Scotland.”
Sarens PSG’s new Centre of Excellence will be in Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone, at the Altens Industrial Estate, following the completed purchase from Forbes Homes Ltd, with the handover scheduled for later this month. The facility will feature 6734 sq. ft of office space, 8,138 sq. ft of maintenance facilities, and a 36,640 sq. ft storage yard.
The site, expected to go live next year, will be equipped with heavy-duty capabilities such as inspection pits, brake testing equipment, and a wash bay to maximise uptime for Sarens PSG’s fleet of cranes and other heavy lifting equipment.
The centre will support the maintenance and repair of the company’s specialist fleet, providing in- house servicing. This will ensure that Sarens PSG’s fleet remains operational and ready to deploy on large-scale renewable energy projects across Scotland.
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, with a focus on providing marking leading marshalling, assembly, deployment and integration solutions to the offshore wind industry. The company is also exploring opportunities in green hydrogen and pumped hydro projects, both of which hold significant promise for Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
Over the past two years, Sarens PSG has invested £12 million in state-of-the-art equipment and operational facilities. The company is currently negotiating several multi-million-pound contracts and plans to expand significantly in the coming years.
Earlier this year, Sarens PSG received industry recognition for its role in the Moray West offshore wind farm project, where it successfully marshalled 62 of the largest monopiles ever handled in the UK, each weighing around 2,000 tonnes. The company is also involved in the construction of quay walls at the Port of Ardersier, which is set to become Scotland’s largest dedicated offshore wind deployment port.
Sarens PSG’s investment underscores Aberdeen’s growing importance as a hub for offshore wind and renewable energy and supporting Scotland’s broader energy transition goals.
