Sarens PSG has announced it will create a new Centre of Excellence in Aberdeen to boost the Scottish offshore wind sector.
The contracting company, which provides equipment and workers for offshore wind projects, will invest £1.6 million to create the centre, which will create 25 new jobs for the wind sector in the city. Sarens noted that Aberdeen’s status as the future headquarters of Great British Energy was a significant factor in the choice to locate the Centre of Excellence there, with managing director Steve Clark calling Great British Energy “a game-changer for the city and the wider Scottish energy sector”.
Clark added: “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. 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.”
The development will be located in Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), and will be equipped with heavy-duty inspection pits, brake testing equipment, and other facilities to support the repair and maintenance of Sarens PSG’s fleet of heavy lifting equipment. Last month, construction began on Aberdeen’s ETZ, EnergyWorks, which, once complete in Autumn 2025, will serve as the flagship for the ETZ Innovation Campus and offer industrial and collaboration space.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband noted: “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.”
ScottishPower helps workers switch paths
Meanwhile, wind energy developer and supplier ScottishPower has urged workers facing redundancy at two firms to reach out and join the company as part of a massive recruitment drive.
Workers at risk of redundancy at Ineos’s Grangemouth refinery and construction firm ISG are being encouraged to contact ScottishPower to secure a new role at the firm. ScottishPower notes that there is a clear skills crossover for many Ineos and ISG workers, adding that the firm can help workers find new positions in its energy networks business.
Following the announcement that the Grangemouth oil refinery would be decommissioned from Q2 2025, putting the vast majority of its 475-strong workforce at risk of redundancy, the Scottish and UK governments have pledged to work together to secure the industrial future of the site and surrounding area.
ScottishPower is currently undergoing a massive expansion and is looking to recruit 1,000 new people next year to support £24 billion worth of planned grid upgrades across the UK, with £11 billion to be spent in Scotland alone.
Sarah McNulty, people and organisation director at ScottishPower, said: “This is one of our largest ever recruitment programmes and one of the largest in Scotland. Workers at both Ineos and ISG will have the sought-after skills we are looking for, and we have the jobs to match. We’re also more than happy to look at how we help people make the move into power networks from oil and gas if they’re looking for a career switch, so anyone interested should get in touch.
“These are skilled, secure and well-paid roles that will offer a long-term career helping build, operate and maintain the electricity network across central southern Scotland.”