Region ‘can be leading player’ in renewable energy industry

HULL’S bid to lure a major wind turbine manufacturing facility to the Humber may be hanging in the balance, but the region can still become a hub for green energy, experts say.

German engineering giant Siemens named Hull as its preferred location for an £80m wind turbine plant earlier this year, but a memorandum of understanding it signed with Hull Council and Associated British Ports expired in July and the city’s three Labour MPs will hold a crunch meeting with Business Secretary Vince Cable today seeking renewed Government support and commitment to the project.

Whatever the outcome on that scheme, businesses in the region are being urged to ready themselves to cash on the developing “biorenewables” economy.

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Its significance and the opportunities it presents will be outlined in a Biorenewables in the Humber conference being hosted by Bishop Burton College, near Beverley, on Thursday, October 20.

Although relatively new, biorenewables is it is expected to make up around a third of the UK’s total renewable capability by 2020. Also known as biomass, it covers anything made from plant or animal material which can replace non-renewable materials made from petrochemicals and minerals.

Organised by Humber Chemical Focus, the event will feature contributions from industry experts and leaders including Dr Jeremy Tomkinson, chief executive of the NNFCC, the UK’s national centre for biorenewable energy, fuels and materials, who will address delegates on current legislation and give updates on low carbon policy.

Dr Tomkinson said the conference would help companies to consider where the best prospects lay within the biomass sector.

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“The region already has many capabilities and strengths in biorenewables, but there are clear openings for joint ventures between the smaller, innovative companies and larger chemical companies to create commercial and sustainable products from waste through integrating their processing,” he said.

He said that there was plenty of space in the new sector for intellectual property development and technology transfer and the conference would provide an ideal platform for sharing knowledge, contacts and ideas.

Delegates at the one-day event will also hear from Dr Graham Hillier, director of strategy and futures at the Centre for Process Innovation and Rich Hall, senior manager, sustainability, at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Afternoon workshops will be run by industry leaders and a question, answer and debate session will be led by Julian Rush, former science and environment correspondent for Channel 4 News.

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The impasse over the Siemens deal has created anxiety in Hull and the wider region with potentially thousands of new jobs at stake.

Writing to Mr Cable to request the meeting, Hull MP Alan Johnson said the development was not only important to the city but to the country as a whole.

He said: “We are confident that we have done everything possible in Hull to make this investment attractive. It’s clear that the issues preventing a final board decision are matters for the UK Government.”

He continued: “If Siemens don’t come to Hull they won’t go anywhere else in the UK. I don’t need to tell you the huge national importance, both in relation to the Government’s attempts to revitalise manufacturing and the country’s determination to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the exciting renewables agenda.”

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He added: “Aside from its national importance, you will appreciate how important this is for Hull and the Humber. Whilst there are many birds in the bush in respect of the renewables industry, only one, Siemens, is within our grasp.”

To book tickets for the conference, which cost £150 or £120, call Bethan Clayton on 01469 552841.

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