New plant and buildings planned by Gamesa, GE and Siemens alone could create more than 4,000 direct and supply-chain jobs.
Siemens plans to open its manufacturing plant in 2014 and has shortlisted a number of potential locations on the northern and north-eastern coast.
Gamesa will base the global headquarters of its offshore division in London
The government will provide £60m to help develop the port infrastructure badly needed if the UK is to realise its offshore wind ambitions.
Prime minister David Cameron unveiled the kick start funding as he published the National Infrastructure Plan.
“We need thousands of offshore turbines in the next decade and beyond yet neither the factories nor these large port sites currently exist. And that, understandably, is putting off private investors. So we’re stepping in,” Cameron said in a speech to the Confederation of British Industry
The Department of Energy and Climate Change and The Crown Estate simultaneously announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to support development of ports infrastructure.
Offshore wind manufacucturers in England will be able to apply for support in a funding window between April 2011 to March 2015.
Separate funding has been made available to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.