German engineering giant Siemens has installed a market-ready version of its gearless wind turbine.

The project is taking place on energy firm SSE's test site at Hunterston, North Ayrshire, in preparation for the development of offshore wind farms round Britain.

The company says the coastal location next to the Firth of Clyde is perfectly suited for testing of offshore wind turbines. A Siemens spokesman said: "The surrounding wind conditions are similar to those to which offshore wind power plants in the Irish Sea are exposed."

Earlier this year, the firm installed two of the 6MWs turbines at the Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm less than four and a half miles south-east of Clacton-on-Sea in Essex.

Jan Kjaersgaard, chief executive of the EMEA Business Unit at Siemens Wind Power, said: " We are proud to be installing the serial version of our 6-MW wind turbine in Hunterston.

"The United Kingdom is backing our technology in a particular way. That's why we are seeking to collaborate with the country's power suppliers right from the product development stage through to commissioning.

"We are focused on making a visible contribution to the UK's economy."

In October, Siemens will also open a new hub in Livingston to support its onshore wind business across the UK. With a permanent staff of more than 30, it will manage onshore projects in England, Scotland and Ireland, and co-ordinate construction, installation and EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) operations. Siemens already employs about 1300 people in its growing renewables business in the UK

But conservationists are watching the Hunterston development closely for any impact on wildlife on this part of the Firth of Clyde.

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said "The location of this turbine beside the Southannan Sands Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) means that we have engaged with the local authority and developer to ensure construction is minimised during the winter months when this important area of sand and mud-flats becomes particularly rich in birds."

The charity has already fought controversial plans for a massive new coal-fired power station with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology for the Hunterston site. They were dropped last year after North Ayrshire Council had earlier rejected them following over 20,000 objections, many from environmentalists.