Special Report - Renew Tees Valley

Dec 11 2006 By The Journal

The growth and development of Tees Valley's renewables and recycling industry went under the spotlight at this year's Energy and Environment Fair.

Held at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, the event attracted more than 300 people, 30 exhibitors and saw the launch of the inaugural Tees Valley Energy and Environment Industry Dinner and Awards, attended by more than 100 people.

Renew Tees Valley has built on the success of its first fair, held in 2004 to make the 2006 event bigger and better.

From a one-day exhibition and fair two years ago, it has grown into a two-day event of regional significance.

The Tees Valley is now recognised as a hub for renewable energy, recycling and waste management sector activity within the North-East region.

It is Renew Tees Valley's aim to promote the region as a UK centre for renewable energy and waste management technologies.

In last three years, Renew Tees Valley and its partners have established networks, clusters, supply chains and partnerships to support the creation of new business, and to help existing local businesses to develop and diversify into new markets in renewable energy and recycling.

The 2006 Energy and Environment Fair included an exhibition and a diverse programme of seminars, workshops, surgeries and presentations.

"The plan was to hold the event every two years," said Paul Jackson, commerce and community enterprise manager at Renew Tees Valley.

"But there is now real demand for this to become an annual event.

"Although this is a Tees Valley-focused fair, feedback suggests a gap exists in this sector with strong pressure from within it to make this much more of a regional event.

"Work is already under way on next year's event."

Dermot Roddy, chief executive of Renew Tees Valley, described the first ever Tees Valley Energy and Environment Awards as "a superb demonstration of the range of activities and talents which have put the area at the leading edge of the renewable energy and recycling industries".

The winners were:

PETER ELLIS, assistant director of regeneration services with Redcar and Cleveland Council, who played a central role in creating Renew. He received the award for individual contribution to the environmental sector.

Product of the Year: N-SIGN, of Middlesbrough, which has developed a new range of street signs made from recycled plastics.

Innovation: MALCOLM BAXTER, OF FLOODOLOGY, who has developed a "floating doorstep" concept, to be made from recycled materials, which is aimed at helping prevent flood damage to homes. The company, originally set up in the Midlands, is looking to relocate to the North-East.

Recycling: RECYCLING IT (EUROPE) LTD, based at Teesport Commerce Park in Redcar and Cleveland, which recycles redundant electrical and electronic equipment.

Renewable Energy: BIOFUELS CORPORATION, which is behind Europe's biggest biodiesel production plant at Seal Sands.

Environmental Awareness: MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL for schemes including a climate change action plan and projects such as Nature's World and the Beechwood community wind turbine.

Company champions pioneering work in the field

There can be no doubting the Tees Valley's pioneering work in the renewables field.

The region is already home to Europe's largest biofuels plant - in the shape of Biofuels Corporation's £45m facility at Seal Sands.

New company Ensus has been set up by a team, including several former ICI bosses, to spearhead a £240m bioethanol facility at Wilton.

Plus we are leading the way in areas as diverse as wind and wave power, biomass and the development of the hydrogen economy.

And championing the cause and working tirelessly to develop the sector in our region is Renew Tees Valley.

The company was originally proposed and championed by Redcar and Cleveland Council which sought and successfully gained support for the project from the area's other four local authorities, with backing from other organisations including the regional development agency One NorthEast and the Tees Valley Partnership leading to its creation in 2003.

Its aim is to promote the Tees Valley as a centre for renewable energy and waste management technologies, leading to new economic activity.

This comes through inward investment, the creation of new businesses, and helping existing local businesses to develop/diversify into new markets in renewable energy and recycling.

A highly skilled team of five, based at South Tees Business Centre, is driving the organisation forward.

They are:

Dr Dermot Roddy, chief executive

Paul Jackson, commerce and community enterprise manager.

Peter Loftus, technical manager - renewable energy

Chris Hayward, technical manager - waste management and recycling.

Janine Smith, office manager and PA to the chief executive.

Since starting out Renew Tees Valley has already provided advice to 1,200 companies.

It has 167 live projects on its books covering the full spectrum of activities in their respective specialism.

And it has helped secure new investment, new projects and new industries for the Tees Valley.

"Our aim is to get involved in projects at the very earliest stage," said Paul Jackson.

Renew provides the vital link in the chain that takes renewable energy and recycling technologies from development to the marketplace.

The team talks to companies who are interested in renewable energy and recycling.

It works with small, medium and large enterprises in Tees Valley who have got new and varied ideas.

The aim is to help them expand and diversify their businesses into these new areas in which annualised growth rates of around 10% are predicted.

"We have a huge range of in-house capabilities," added Mr Jackson.

"We have expertise in renewables, recycling, owning and managing a business as well as legal and marketing expertise.

"We even, importantly, have a broad grasp of funding and financing opportunities.

"That mix is very important.

"We have people come to us at all different stages needing all different sorts of help. They could have an idea, but don't know if it's viable or how to take it forward.

"Or it could be a company with a project that they want to bring to the Tees Valley, but need to find a location and backing.

"As well as our own skills we can look outside the organisation for help."

Renew Tees Valley has a huge network of contacts.

Its board of directors has links into the newly-established centres of excellence for new and renewable energy and for process innovation - NaREC and CPI - along with The Welding Institute (CTWI) (who are developing new approaches to fabrication and maintenance for renewables), NOF Energy, Business Link, One North East - as funders and regional strategic lead body, the Environmental Industries Federation (EIF) environment sector company members forum, Tees Valley Regeneration - the area's key generator of physical development and inward investment - and North East Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC).

"But we'll also target people - and seek out projects that we think should be here in this region. It's providing specialised, tailored advice that ensures success."

Renew Tees Valley's current workload is far reaching.

Hydrogen fuel cell development, a major wind assessment for the future development of wind power sites in the Tees Valley and the recycling of glass - just some of the vast and varied projects the team is involved with.

Renew Tees Valley funded and supported the Tees Valley Industrial Symbiosis Project which aims bring organisations together to use each other's by-products and cut back on waste. This project brings about cultural and behavioural changes - waste becomes a resource and attracts added value.

The success of this project has led to a national Symbiosis programme- again initially part funded by Renew Tees Valley; with the Tees Valley/North East being seen by many respected commentators as the lead region across the UK.

It is also encouraging the development of eco-parks - bringing together clusters of renewable energy and recycling companies in one location. The benefits of this approach are widespread.

Contact Renew Tees Valley at South Tees Business Centre, Puddlers Road, Middlesbrough, TS6 6TL, tel: 01642 438418, email: enquiries@renewteesvalley.co.uk

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Renewable Energy Award

Winner: Biofuels Corporation, Seal Sands.
Also nominated: SembCorp, Wilton, Middlesbrough Football Club.

Production got under way earlier this year at the world's biggest biofuels plant, based in the Tees Valley.

Biofuels Corporation is behind the multi-million pound facility at Seal Sands, which converts vegetable oil into fuel.

And it is already planning further expansion.

By 2008 it hopes to have two additional 200,000 tonnes-a-year plants in operation at Seal Sands.

Biofuels has appointed Lurgi AG, a supplier of biodiesel plants, as its technology partner to undertake detailed engineering design work.

The expansion would enable the company to produce at least 650,000 tonnes of biodiesel a year.

Biofuels Corporation currently employs around 50 staff in the Tees Valley. Building of two additional plants would take its workforce to around 100.

Paul Jackson, commerce and community enterprise manager with Renew Tees Valley, said: "My colleagues began work with Biofuels at the very early stages of the project - right from the beginning of development.

"We were working with them for a good two years before the plan was announced.

"We could see that the concept was sound, the technology was good and there was a real market out there for its product.

"The company did go through some tough times when it faced some financial problems last year, but we'd done our homework and we knew this plan would work."

Mr Jackson added: "Although it is a new sector it also plays to our traditional strengths and skills.

"The plant is the biggest of its kind in Europe.

"That's important for our region for a number of reasons.

"A project of this scale shows Tees Valley is really serious about the renewables sector.

"We're about both the small companies and the very biggest of projects.

"It's also acted as an indicator to others out there that this region is the place to be for the big players."

Other biofuels firms based in the Tees Valley include D1 Oils of Middlesbrough - which is already in production.

US-based Losonoco has announced plans for a £100m plant at Billingham.

And Vireol of Stokesley aims to build a bioethanol plant in the Tees Valley.

Renew Tees Valley has worked with Biofuels Corporation on a number of issues from helping them study potential feedstocks to finding a suitable site.

It also worked with them on technology and linking them with other companies.

"The company is now planning further expansion - and as they go into the second phase of development we're working with them further," added Mr Jackson.

"We're hoping to involve more local companies in the process and develop the supply chain even further."

Biofuels is also a great example of how this industry has a wider impact on the community.

"A teacher from Ormesby School came to see us as part of a professional development day," explained Mr Jackson.

"It was key to us that the school take something back to the classroom as a follow-on project."

Students became involved in developing a three-dimensional design of the Biofuels Corporation plant.

"The response was phenomenal," said Mr Jackson.

"The pupils spent a huge amount of time and effort on the project.

"But on top of that they were finding out about the industry, the investment and the jobs they could potentially have at the site in the future."

Keen to find out more, the school extended the project and designed a lay-out of a biofuels plant site.

"There wasn't a single design that didn't shape up as potentially viable," he added.

"We also brought in an expert from the Biofuels project to give them more information on how the site would work.

"We've now got pupils who are actually potentially planning to work at the site.

"We're hoping to get them working with Biofuels on designs for offices when the plant moves on to its next stage.

"Eventually we'd love to help start some placements - and create a link between schools and actual employment."

SembCorp

SembCorp Utilities UK is developing a £60m wood burning power station at Wilton.

Known as Wilton 10, the pioneering biomass project will create around 400 construction jobs, 15 full-time jobs and will bring major benefits to the farming, forestry, construction, wood recycling and transport sectors.

Work on the site is well advanced.

Generating 30MW of electricity - enough to power around 30,000 homes - it is set to be operational by mid-2007.

Middlesbrough FC

Boro bosses made it on to the shortlist for the awards for their green thinking.

"The club carried out a full environmental assessment," said Mr Jackson.

"Looking at a number of areas, a wind turbine is part of their green plans for the future."

The energy study commissioned by Renew Tees Valley at Middlesbrough FC's Riverside Stadium found replacing mains electricity with renewable energy will not only dramatically cut the club's energy bills, but create a powerful new environmental educational tool.

The close proximity of the Riverside Stadium, Middlehaven and other regeneration activity in Middlesbrough and neighbouring boroughs allows innovative and new methods of delivering renewables and recycling into our communities. Some exciting developments may be just around the corner.

The football club through its work in this area has put itself in a key position which has knock-on benefits for them and their fans into the future as well as creating a model which could define stadium development around Europe over the proceeding years.

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Recycling Award

Winner: Recycling IT (Europe), Middlesbrough.

Also nominated: UK Wood Recycling, Wilton, J&B Recycling, Hartlepool.

Recycling IT (Europe) has continued to develop and grow since moving to the Tees Valley.

The company was formed in Ashington, Northumberland, to provide a redundant IT equipment collection and recycling service to help organisations and individuals comply with the requirements of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.

It relocated to Middlesbrough - first setting up at Skippers Lane Industrial Estate before moving to its current home at Teesport Commerce Park.

Renew Tees Valley provided funding for the development of a business plan that envisages a rapid growth of the company, creating new job opportunities for the relatively unskilled.

Renew's Paul Jackson said: "The company hopes to be employing around 100 people by the end of its third year."

The company offers a nationwide service to organisations seeking an environmentally friendly way of disposing of worn out, broken or redundant ICT equipment such as computers, printers, VDUs and photocopiers.

The company is headed up by John Pettifer and no less than 75% of IT equipment collected by the company is refurbished and supplied to community organisations or low income individuals.

Fully internet ready systems are made available from an incredibly good value £45 per system.

Should you then wish to upgrade to a higher spec system the initial cost of purchase would be fully deducted from the cost of a new refurbished system.

"This is a great company," said Mr Jackson.

"If computers can be re-used they'll upgrade them and send them straight back out. If they can't be upgraded then pieces are taken out to be used in other machines.

"Finally machines are broken down to the tiniest components and go back out into the market as recycled materials.

"The firm is working with local authorities, blue chip companies and individuals from all over the country.

"It is also working with local companies to see if it can supply them with recycled raw materials."

Police forces, high street banks, building societies, insurance companies, NHS trusts, the military, government departments, local authorities and education establishments are among the company's customer database. The company, rather than resting on its laurels, are looking at other areas affected by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) to see if they could impact here. TVs and computer ink cartridges are currently being researched and look favourable additions to IT equipment in the very near future.

UK Wood Recycling

A £4m investment and 40 new jobs are coming to the Tees Valley thanks to UK Wood Recycling's plans to set up an operation at Wilton.

The company announced in March 2006 it was setting up the site to support SembCorp Utilities UK's £60m wood burning power station.

UKWR will produce 80,000 tonnes of recycled wood chip a year to help fuel the new £60m Wilton 10 biomass power station.

Work began collecting wood waste in July 2006.

Construction of the UKWR site continues and the business is expected to be fully operational by early next year.

J&B Recycling

This family-owned business diversified from delivering coal to collecting waste.

J&B Recycling of Hartlepool is turning our rubbish into a valuable raw material.

The decline in coal as the major fuel used in North-East households and power stations could have sounded the death knell for the firm, which had traded for 35 years since being founded in Hartlepool by Alan Jackson.

Headed by the founder's daughter, Vikki Jackson-Smith, J&B Recycling, a division of J&B Fuels, was formed to enable the parent company to diversify from its core business activity of domestic solid fuel sales and deliveries.

The declining nature of the solid fuel trade made diversification necessary to safeguard the jobs of the company's then 20 employees.

Since making the move the firm has increased its workforce to 70.

J & B Recycling now operates a licensed waste transfer station at its Baltic Street site in Hartlepool and the previous core business activity ceased in March 2005.

This has been replaced by, amongst other operations, a commercial glass collection from licensed premises throughout the North-East that ensures the diversion from landfill and recycling of approximately 7,000 tonnes of glass bottles each year.

The company also handles materials collected via local authority kerbside recycling schemes, as well as providing management for local authority civic amenity sites.

"This company came very close to winning the award this year," added Mr Jackson. "They are a perfect example of the extremely high quality of organisation we now have operating in the sector in our region and highlights the enormous difficulty Renew Tees Valley had in choosing the winners in all of the categories, a problem we hope to be grappling with for many years ahead as this is indicative of a thriving environmental sector in Tees Valley."

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Environmental Awareness Award

Winner: Middlesbrough Council

Also nominated: Stockton Council, Nature's World, Middlesbrough

"Middlesbrough Council has really embraced the green agenda," said Paul Jackson, Renew Tees Valley's commerce and community enterprise manger. They really turned their priorities around - and saw that green issues were so vital.

"They were the first to launch a climate change action plan which has since been adopted by the whole Tees Valley.

A North-East plan is now planned, using the Tees Valley model as useful starting point.

Middlesbrough Council has also been quick to see the potential of the "hydrogen economy".

A hydrogen fuel cell has been powering a sign on the Transporter Bridge.

A fuel cell is also powering the lights at Teesside Crematorium's chapel of remembrance.

It was also praised for its support of the Nature's World project - which was a shortlisted entry in its own right.

Wind power has also been harnessed at a Middlesbrough youth centre as part of the town's energy efficiency drive.

This summer a wind turbine was installed at the Beechwood Youth and Community Centre by Middlesbrough Council, with support from Renew Tees Valley and the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

The turbine will provide about 2,500 kilowatt hours of electricity a year resulting in a saving of around 1.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Nature's World, Middlesbrough

Since opening in 1992, Nature's World has evolved into a thriving visitor attraction, training centre and educational facility for the whole of the local and wider community.

As part of on-going re-development plan, it has spent over £500,000 during the past six months further enhancing the site and adding lots of new exhibits and features for everyone to enjoy.

These include new informative signage, family trails, solar powered talking posts, educational play parks, a giant bank-side slide, an interactive sustainability challenge, 2020 future world, the race to recycle and much more.

It has also seen the creation of an "Earth Ship". This structure has been built from worn tyres filled with earth and a green seed and turf roof.

It aims to demonstrate creative ways in which everyday materials can be reused, so reducing consumption of dwindling natural resources.

Renew Tees Valley has also worked with the site to install a fully working demonstration wind turbine and other relevant renewable energy technologies. Renew Tees Valley has a seat on Nature's World board of directors.

Stockton Council

Stockton Council has also embraced the green agenda through the Making Waste Work initiative. One example of its efforts is how dumped furniture is being given a new life to help the environment.

Many items taken to the Haverton Hill site are in good or perfect condition, but would normally just be dumped in one of the waste skips and sent for incineration.

Now they are being stored before being cleaned and refurbished off site, helping councils to reduce the amount of waste they are generating.

The facility is funded through the European Union's Making Waste Work project, and will handle good quality furniture, electrical goods and IT equipment brought to the Haverton Hill site by Tees Valley residents.

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Product of the Year

Winner: N-Sign, Middlesbrough

Also nominated: Rotaflector, Marske

The demand for a greener way of doing things has been met by N-Sign.

The company had been producing powder-coated steel name plates for councils.

But local authorities wanted a recycled product.

And as a result N-Sign designed and patented a recycled plastic injection moulded sign system.

N-Sign's operations cover the UK, offering customers a comprehensive sign service, including site surveys, design, manufacture and installation.

The company is five years old and counts a large number of large firms among its clients as well as local government organisations.

"We were able to help N-sign with a business plan and with funding to take the idea out to the market," said Paul Jackson, of Renew Tees Valley.

"Twenty-one local authorities are now using the product and a further 200 are also trialling it.

"The company hopes to do manufacturing on-site and create 50 jobs in the next two to three years."

Rotaflector, Marske

One of the most frustrating sights for motorists is the line of lights that blink away on the tops of traffic cones laid out on motorways to highlight lane closures.

While you can't do anything about the delay, a retired Tees Valley businessman - Fred Hann - has come up with a greener alternative that cuts the number of warning lamps required by 50%.

Fred's Rotaflector comprises three blades, each carrying a 45sqcm of reflective material.

These are rotated by wind or draughts from the passing traffic. The design ensures that when they come to rest, one reflective panel is always facing the oncoming traffic.

The Highways Authority-approved product can be used to replace alternative battery-powered lamps.

The advantages of Rotaflector over lamps are considerable.

It costs less, requires minimal maintenance, is much easier to store and handy and is less attractive to thieves.

It can also be made from recycled plastics.

Renew Tees Valley has helped finance the cost of using rapid prototyping technology to produce a number of resin castings for market testing and presentations.

These will prove the case for significant investment in injection moulding tools.

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Innovation Award

Winner: Floodology

Also nominated: AAG Swepco, Stockton; Oceantecs, Hartlepool

Floodology is a company that recognises Tees Valley is the place to be for the renewables industry.

The company is looking to relocate from the South Midlands to the Tees Valley.

It has developed a "floating doorstep" concept, to be made from recycled materials, which is aimed at helping prevent flood damage to homes.

Its other device, the Flood Stacker, is of a much larger scale and will be aimed at the civil engineering market place.

Paul Jackson, of Renew Tees Valley, said: "The firm contacted Renew Tees Valley because they realised this was an area where there was more business support than normal, people who would listen and understand.

"They could see this was an area of the country that was ahead of the game.

"We helped them develop the project, and worked with organisations including Tees Valley Regeneration, One NorthEast and the Environment Agency and NaREC.

"We're also helping them put together a business plan." Mr Jackson added: "The market potential for the floating doorstep alone is huge - £90m a year at least, and perhaps as much as £600m a year worldwide.

"This is a great company because they are looking to manufacture the product themselves as well as install it - looking after the whole process from start to finish."

AAG Swepco, Stockton

This company specialises in the design, supply, installation and maintenance of customised wind and solar energy systems.

All of which is enabling AAG Swepco to focus on a range of niche markets in the renewable energy industry.

Electrical engineers Mohammed Akhmed, Stephen Gilpin and Paul Wilson, who run the electrical contracting company in Stockton, formed AAG Swepco to meet the demand for cost effective renewable energy systems that guarantee continuity of supply, whatever the weather.

Their solution is a combination of wind and solar powered systems, linked to battery storage.

Initially they are targeting agriculture, construction and remote telemetry installation with a package that comprises: a site survey, backed by desk research to assess prevailing local weather conditions, design of the optimum dual source system using technology sourced from a portfolio of international suppliers, installation, on-going maintenance and upgrades.

Renew Tees Valley has provided them with advice and financial assistance.

They are now working on the development of application-specific systems. A demonstration model, which powers the CCTV system, can be viewed at Nature's World in Middlesbrough.

Oceantecs, Hartlepool

Renew Tees Valley has provided funding to maintain progress in the development of Oceantecs' flexible sub-surface turbine, while a project group prepares a £2m funding application for the construction of a prototype for working trials.

The Mermade was conceived by the firm, that provides personnel and service to the subsea telecoms, offshore, oil and gas and renewable energy sectors.

Mermade's main advantage over most subsurface turbines, which can only be mounted vertically, is that it can be mounted vertically or horizontally with little or no impact on performance.

This means it can be installed in relatively shallow rivers and lakes, if there is a sufficient water flow, as well as the open sea.

It can be used in conjunction with other offshore/subsurface structures or installed as a stand-alone unit.

If mounted at the bottom of a wind turbine monopile, it can use the same infrastructure to provide a predictable power output to supplement the fluctuating output from the wind turbine.

Following support from Renew Tees Valley, Oceantecs was able to exhibit the model at the Oceanology International event in London in 2004.

This has led to interest from a number of high ranking worldwide organisations within the offshore industry.

The device is currently being readied for trial at the Tees Barrage.

Winner: Peter Ellis, assistant director of regeneration services with Redcar and Cleveland Council

Also nominated: John Pettifer or Recyling IT (Europe) and Chris and Geoff Baxter, Baxter Promotions

Peter Ellis took the top award for having played a central role in creating Renew Tees Valley.

He received the award for individual contribution to the environmental sector.

John Pettifer, who brought his Recycling IT (Europe) business to Teesside from Northumberland, was also highly commended, particularly for his leading role and work regionally around the WEEE directive.

Chris and Geoff Baxter, who head up Middlesbrough-based Baxter Promotions, also made it on to the shortlist.

The company produces promotional items, including many recyclable products.

The husband and wife team have set out to make maximum use of recycled materials.

Their efforts earned them the Environmental Award in the Best New Business Awards in 2004.

They are now working with Recycling IT (Europe) on both the supply of recycled materials and the creation of innovative promotion items recovered from redundant IT equipment.