Powering Scotland’s green future with XLCC’s world-class HVDC cable factory
Last updated: April 2025
XLCC is set to build the UK’s largest High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cable factory in Ayrshire. This transformative project will attract £1.5 billion investment, putting Scotland at the heart of global clean energy transition.
Shared belief in an energy revolution
“Trust is earned when actions meet words.”
If you need evidence of trust in a company about to trailblaze Scotland’s energy transition sector, look no further than XLCC. This fast-scaling firm has convinced the hearts and minds of investors in their shared belief that subsea cable production will secure the sector’s bright future.
Backing ambition is believing in ambition. The new company already believed that Scotland has the perfect platform to make it happen. By 2040, there will be a demand for 28,000 km of HVDC cable in Britain. Meeting such an output will ensure the UK, including Scotland, goes the distance to be net zero.
This is even more evidence of that shared belief in a mission held passionately across the country, the sector and by Scottish Enterprise.
XLCC will develop the UK's largest dedicated HVDC cable factory at Hunterston, North Ayrshire. The 28-hectare facility will be located at Hunterston in North Ayrshire, next to a deep-water harbour, and will produce up to 2,600 km of cable annually, with an initial capacity of 1,300 km per year.
Realising this huge vision relies on a world-class leadership team. This was carefully selected by the company's CEO, Ian Douglas, a seasoned industry professional. His team believes in Scotland’s subsea cable future as much as the investors.
Ian Douglas
Perfect access to energy supply chain partners
The Hunterston site stood out to XLCC because of the deep-water harbour, which will allow the company to directly load cable onto vessels to be taken out to sea. The location also offers connectivity to a range of energy supply chain partners.
Inspired by Scotland’s renewable energy proposition, XLCC believes its stakeholders – from UK central government to key Scottish organisations - have been hugely cooperative.
Ian adds: "We benefit from a very supportive stakeholder environment through our Team Scotland partners. I’ve been hugely impressed by how aligned all the stakeholders are. This has included many organisations, such as local councils, educational institutions and our landlord, the Peel Ports Group."
This welcoming and supportive Scottish spirit isn’t unique to investors or enterprises – it’s also in the local workers who XLCC can upskill.
A 1200-strong talented workforce
The local talent pool has highly transferable skills, thanks to Scotland’s rich history in energy. Nationally, the country already has 42,000 people working in green energy, according to Scottish Renewables.
XLCC has partnered with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and Ayrshire College to train and recruit modern apprentices in engineering across the Ayrshire region. The Modern Apprenticeship programme combines specialist welding training, electrical engineering knowledge and qualifications, as well as work-based learning.
In partnership with Ayrshire College, XLCC has signed a lease on a unit in Irvine, Ayrshire to operate a training centre. The 1161 square metre site was secured with the support of Scottish Enterprise, which provided a £200,000 grant towards the office, conference and welfare facilities.
The training centre will contribute to the factory’s overall headcount. For its construction phase, XLCC will recruit 1200 people, many of whom will be local, with 900 people to be employed when the factory is operational.
Scotland has the ideal energy transition infrastructure for the £1.5 billion HVDC cable factory
Scaling innovation in energy transition
XLCC is proud to offer a pathway into a high-tech, green industry—equipping the next generation with the skills to support the future of HVDC subsea cable manufacturing in the UK. Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and Ayrshire College have been instrumental in helping the firm plan, build and upskill a workforce to drive the success of its operation.
Given XLCC’s talent ambitions, the meteoric demand for cables, and Scotland’s lucrative energy sector, there's an opportunity to extend the factory in the future to serve wider markets outside the UK.
The company is all about scaling innovation in energy transition and this is mission shared by Scottish Enterprise. It's provided £9 million in grants to date, primarily to fund 900 jobs for the factory. Funding for a further 300 jobs at a technical engineering centre at a preferred location is still under application, and related Research and Development (R&D) grant activity.
XLCC completed its development round with investments from private investors, alongside the National Wealth Fund (NWF) that invested £20 million in September 2024. The Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) invested a further £20 million in January 2025. XLCC is now focused on the construction round of £1.5 billion funding to start work on the factory.
High value opportunities for inward investors
Tony Gurney, North Ayrshire Councillor and Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, says: “Inward investors stand to benefit from Scotland’s world-class energy transition sector. They also benefit from the comprehensive, wrap-around support provided by North Ayrshire partners."
Playing an important part in XLCC scaling in Scotland is Angela Davey. Angela is a Global Account Manager for Inward Investment at SDI, the international arm of Scottish Enterprise.
She says: “There’s been an incredible openness and willingness from XLCC to collaborate with us from the outset. Its account team has been fully involved. All parties have been very flexible, and communication has been great despite the project’s many moving parts.”
Multi-partner support is a key element of the Team Scotland commitment to facilitating the energy transition, but also stakeholder belief in the nation’s net zero goals. Again, local and UK partnerships have been as electrifying as the country’s renewable energy ambitions.
Investing in a nation with a warm welcome
The next stage will be for XLCC to talk with potential investors ahead of the construction funding round. This aims to raise £1.5 billion with enough invested by the end of 2025 for the first test cable to roll off the production line in 2030.
What message would XLCC give other investors considering Scotland?
"All companies want to go somewhere where they are really and genuinely welcomed. Again, the Team Scotland approach is real, and we’ve benefited from it greatly. Investors have placed their trust in us. This is why we want to build the best HVDC cable factory in the best location in Scotland. Hunterston has the perfect geography for us. We know we can recruit the best people. Agencies like Scottish Enterprise and SDI are making it happen,” Ian sums up.
The firm's actions will meet these words.
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