Bosses tell of optimism in big renewables drive
TEES Valley firms are defying the economic gloom by claiming renewable energy projects will bring lucrative opportunities for the local supply chain.
Their optimism was spelled out at a special event held at the Wilton Centre yesterday to discuss commercial projects in the wind, wave, biofuels, carbon capture and waste management sectors.
Hosted by the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and the Energy Industries Council (EIC), the event was marked by keynote speeches from NEPIC, EIC and renewable experts including Graham Ingleson of SITA UK - the firm behind the energy-from-waste plant at Haverton Hill.
Mr Ingleson said there was great scope for local firms to buy into the country’s renewables drive. The company has been leading the way in the production of green energy and its Tees Valley plant has generated almost 1.5m megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity since it was established in 1998.
Meanwhile Bill Scott, director of Wilton Engineering Services at Port Clarence , said the company was targeting the “embryonic” offshore wind market. “We are positioning ourselves now to take advantage of the best opportunities. Offshore wind energy is a key market for us.”
Mark Stewart, of EIC, said wind would be “the major source of renewable energy” and the Government-run Renewables Obligation Certificate Scheme (ROCS) would reduce the cost of projects and make commercial opportunities more accessible. Companies that hit green energy targets are rewarded under ROCS by receiving payments for each unit of renewable energy generated.
Share
