By Kari Williamson

Gamesa has announced its intention to pursue a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Port of Leith as part of its long term strategic relationship with the UK and its commitment to establishing the UK as the centre of Gamesa’s global offshore wind operations.

The offshore wind manufacturing base represents an investment of around €150 million and could see the creation of 800 jobs.

In 2011, Gamesa established an R&D facility in Strathclyde, currently employing over 60 engineers, which is steadily growing and is expected to employ 180 people. The company is in the process of moving its global offshore wind headquarters to its new London offices with an expected head-count of 70 staff.

WWF Scotland Director, Dr Richard Dixon, comments on the news: "This investment is another massive vote of confidence in Scotland as a key location to do business in renewable energy. This is an industry which is already spending hundreds of billions around the globe every year and we are now a key player in this rapidly growing sector. Renewable energy will be bigger than oil for Scotland and the Government needs to put it even more firmly at the centre of its economic and jobs strategies. Together, renewable energy and energy efficiency can get us off our oil addiction and create one of the world's first modern zero-carbon economies."