A multi-million pound wind energy deal between Samsung Heavy Industries and a U.K. firm will be followed by more high-profile business partnerships, the British ambassador to Korea has said.

The deal that could be worth up to 100 million pounds ($158 million) will see U.K. engineering specialist David Brown Gear Systems help SHI create cutting-edge offshore wind turbines.

U.K. ambassador Scott Wightman welcomed SHI’s investment in the company headquartered in Yorkshire, which will design, develop and manufacture a new gear system for SHI’s next generation of offshore wind turbines.

The new 7-megawatt offshore wind turbines will be tested off the coast of Fife, Scotland in the first step of a long-term supply contract. If SHI’s first European offshore wind project is successful, nacelle, gear box assembly and blade manufacturing facilities will also be set up by the Korean company in Scotland.

“This is great news for Scotland, for the U.K. and for Korea. The combination of world-class British design and precision engineering and our two countries’ shared commitment to offshore wind energy put us at the forefront of renewable energy development,” Wightman said following the Jan. 31 announcement.

“These are exactly the kind of positive U.K.-Korea partnerships we are working to build and I am confident we will see further Korean investment across a range of sectors as the U.K. implements its ambitious 200bn National Infrastructure Plan.”

The U.K. is the global leader for offshore wind energy with 1.3 gigawatts, and says it has a potential deployment of more than 40 GW by 2030.

“We are pleased to be participating in the development of the Energy Park at such an exciting time for the Scottish renewable energy industry,” Samsung Heavy Industries CEO Roh In-sik said. “The testing of the new 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine at the Fife Energy Park signifies a milestone in the development of Samsung’s new wind turbine generator system.”

And Jim McColl, CEO of David Brown Gear Systems’ owner Clyde Blowers Capital, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence by a major and well respected global business in the U.K. supply chain and ultimately a boost for employment and future job creation.

“I am confident that Samsung has the offshore market know-how and scale of resources to be a leading player in the offshore wind market and I am delighted to be working with them to achieve this.”

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)