Doosan Power pulls out of deal to create hundreds of wind jobs

A project that would have created hundreds jobs in Scotland's offshore wind sector has been scrapped after a major foreign investor pulled out.

Korean company Doosan blamed deteriorating confidence in the offshore wind market for its decision.

It comes just 12 months after the firm announced plans for a research centre and turbine factories in Westway Renfrew.

The plans had included the construction of a £170m "centre of excellence".

The company, whose plans were unveiled by First Minister Alex Salmond last year, said it had told the Scottish government and its customers four months ago of its decision.

However, no public statement was issued until the news emerged at an industry conference in Denmark on Wednesday.

'Other investments'

In response to the news, a Scottish government spokesman said: 'In December we were informed that Doosan was no longer pursuing its £170m offshore renewables project.

"Doosan's operations are not limited to offshore wind and they have other investments in Scotland."

The spokesman added that both Samsung and Gamesa had announced their intentions to develop and manufacture their next generation wind turbines in Scotland.

When Doosan announced the project in March 2011, the company said its research centre in Renfrew could employ up to 200 people.

It also said it wanted to build a manufacturing plant in Scotland, creating up to 500 direct jobs and 1,000 supply-side jobs.

At the time, Mr Salmond described the project as "another great stride forward for the renewables industry in Scotland - which is now the chosen destination for three energy engineering giants to design their next generation of turbines to service the global offshore wind industry".