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Announcing grants for three offshore wind energy companies Mr Miliband told the TUC annual conference: "With strong government backing, the UK is consolidating its lead in offshore wind energy.
"We already have more offshore wind energy than any other country, we have the biggest wind farm in the world about to start construction, and now we’ll see the biggest turbine blades in the world made here in Britain.
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"Our coastline means the offshore wind industry has the potential to employ tens of thousands of workers by 2020, manufacturing, transporting, installing and operating new turbines.
"It will take an active government to get us there and the funds I’m announcing today are part of the £120 million investment we are making this year and next in the wind industry to make that happen."
The three companies are:
- Clipper Wind Power - £4.4 million to develop their first prototype 70m blade for the Britannia project – the largest wind turbines in the world
- Artemis Intelligent Power - £1 million to transfer their existing technology from automotive to wind energy
- Siemens Wind Power UK - £1.1 million to develop the next generation power convertors for their larger offshore turbine
