Hitachi Energy has officially opened its new UK Engineering Centre of Excellence in Glasgow, a strategic investment set to create approximately 100 specialised roles. This move is designed to bolster the expert skills necessary for modernising the UK’s electricity grid and advancing Scotland’s clean energy objectives.
The global electrification leader has secured the top floor of the prominent 110 Queen Street building in Glasgow city centre under a ten-year lease. This expansion is a key component of Hitachi Energy’s broader growth strategy across the UK and Ireland, which has seen its workforce double over the past two years, with further expansion anticipated as demand for electrification accelerates. The company aims to increase its UK workforce to over 1,000 employees by 2027.
The newly created positions are mainly focused on developing critical grid infrastructure. Hitachi Energy has already filled a significant number of these roles, recruiting technical engineers, project site engineers, and specialists in areas such as planning, management, health and safety, and testing. The centre also aims to attract skilled professionals from related sectors, including oil and gas and manufacturing, into the expanding electricity industry.
Laura Fleming, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy UK and Ireland, emphasised the strategic importance of this investment. “The electricity grid will be the backbone of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system for decades to come. That makes investment in skills every bit as important as investment in technology.”
“Our new Glasgow engineering centre of excellence is about building the capability the UK needs to deliver major grid upgrades at pace.”
Fleming further highlighted Scotland’s crucial contribution to the UK’s energy transition. “Scotland is already central to the UK’s clean energy future, and this expansion will help ensure that more of the value created by that transition is captured here – through high-quality jobs, new career pathways and stronger local supply chains.”
The Glasgow centre has received substantial backing from Scottish Enterprise, with a £1.7 million grant forming part of an overall investment exceeding £3 million. The facility is also expected to foster collaboration with academic institutions, industry partners, and organisations such as Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh Science, and the University of Strathclyde, promoting careers in energy and STEM disciplines.
Adrian Gillespie, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, underscored the national significance of such capital expenditure, commenting.
“The UK is currently embarking on a once‑in‑a‑generation transformation of the electricity network. More than £77 billion of UK grid investment has already been approved for delivery by 2031. Scotland is at the heart of this with over £40bn of that investment happening right here.”
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This significant investment is anticipated to facilitate new offshore wind development, present economic opportunities for existing supply chain companies, attract inward investment, and stimulate innovation.
The establishment of the centre aligns with the UK’s Clean Power 2030 ambitions, which aim for clean power to meet 100% of electricity demand by 2030, with at least 95% of electricity generation originating from low-carbon sources.
It also supports Scotland’s statutory target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, a goal set five years ahead of the broader UK target. Scotland also aims to generate the equivalent of 50% of its overall energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030.
