Scotland open to Chinese wind turbine factory, says country's deputy leader
Kate Forbes says Mingyang and Vestas could both be needed given scale of wind power demand
Scotland remains open to hosting a wind turbine factory built by China’s Mingyang despite high-profile claims that it represents a security threat, said the country's deputy first minister.
The prospect of a Scottish Mingyang plant emerged in April when the factory was named a ‘priority project’ by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council.
The prospect of a Chinese plant has proved controversial in Scotland and beyond, however.
Members of Forbes’ own Scottish National Party have previously criticised the plan, along with some UK politicians who claim allowing Chinese players to build crucial energy infrastructure represents a security risk.
The EU is currently investigating China’s turbine makers over potential breaches of subsidy rules and Brussels-based lobbying group WindEurope has slammed any moves to use Chinese machines as damaging to the European supply chain.
Mingyang has remained tight-lipped over its Scottish ambitions, but is openly pressing ahead with plans for a factory in Italy to serve major floating wind projects there.
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