Renewable energy offers local businesses major opportunities
Local businesses are being urged to take steps to ensure they capitalise on the opportunities presented by the growth in the renewable energy market in the Hull and Humber region. Highlighted as a key growth sector and area of focus for the city-region’s economic development activity, several companies have already earmarked the area as the ideal location for renewable energy schemes such as wind farms and tidal power turbines.
Renewable energy is big business; with the Government’s 10% target for achieving electricity from renewable sources by 2010, the potential for the local economy is huge. E.ON, one of the UK’s largest integrated power and gas companies, has plans to invest £1bn into renewable projects around the UK over the next five years. E.ON has submitted a planning application for the development of a £700m, offshore wind farm with up to 83 turbines to be located off the Holderness coast, and with two tidal power projects already given the go-ahead to begin trials in the River Humber, the area is becoming something of a renewable energy hotbed.
Chris Sherrington, development manager of Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm for E.ON, commented:
"E.ON has chosen the Humber area for the development of what will be one of the largest wind farms in the UK. The availability of suitable ports for construction and maintenance and its prime coastal location combined with high winds, low waves and a flat and stable seabed make it the ideal choice for us."
Such activity is great news for businesses that may be able to offer their services, from engineers to construction companies, haulage firms to training providers, renewable energy is not just good news for the environment it could also provide a big boost for the local economy.
Dr David Calvert, commercial manager of the Environmental Technologies Centre of Industrial Collaboration at The University of Hull, said; “The expression people are using is that it is the new, or next, Industrial Revolution. People used to see sustainability as yet another government restraint, an additional overhead, but now they’re seeing it as more of an opportunity.”
Research carried out by experts at the university in conjunction with two renewable energy companies, Pulse Tidal and Neptune Renewable Energy, has resulted in two prototypes, Neptune Proteus and Pulse Generation, being granted Government permission to be installed at St Andrew’s Quay, Hull and North Killingholme. Successful trials could see the Hull & Humber region establish itself as a research centre for tidal energy and in doing so create yet more exciting opportunities.
John Holmes, chief executive of Hull Forward, was keen to urge the local business community to embrace the growth in the renewable energy sector. He said: “Renewable energy technologies will play an increasingly important role in the sub-regional and regional economy, and companies in the Hull and Humber area are ideally placed to capitalise on new opportunities. The region has the specialist skills and facilities to deploy and service all the known current and future renewable projects and it is a key part of Hull Forward’s agenda to ensure this message is communicated effectively.”