science & technology: developing the region's world class offer - jane gaston
TRANSCRIPT
THE IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY CLUSTERINGTO INVESTMENT IN THE NORTH WEST
Why is clustering so important and how do we achieve it specifically in the energy
sector?
• It co-locates interlinking organisations who benefit from collective clout
• It can support the creation of low carbon, low cost and secure energy supplies for industry
• It plays to the North West’s strengths, including excellent multi-modal connectivity and
location at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse
• It allows the set up of co-located supply chains and helps retain spend within the North West
• It attracts international occupiers to the region and creates new and safeguards existing
jobs
• It brings academia and industry together, retaining graduates and creating an economy of
skills
• It allows initiatives and incentives to be tailored to the industry
PROTOS IS LEADING THE CHARGEA FOCAL POINT FOR ENERGY INVESTMENT
It’s not just talk. We’re creating Protos, the North West’s largest
new energy-focused destination. So far we have:
• Delivered £170m investment at the site
• Completed Phase One infrastructure
• Delivered an operational 50MW wind farm
• Secured a 21.5MW biomass facility, currently in commissioning
• Launched the site with the Northern Powerhouse Minister and a showcase
to the region’s industrial property agents
• Investing upfront in Phase Two infrastructure to deliver a robust power
network for the area
CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENTFOR ENERGY DELIVERY
From incubation to commercial delivery, it is essential that we put
the right structure in place to create a pipeline of new energy
technologies.
In the North West we strongly promote four key pillars:
1. Relationships between the industry and universities to foster research and
deliver sector-ready graduates
2. Creating spaces where innovative organisations can fund and test new
generation and distribution technologies
3. The property industry being flexible enough to accommodate scale-up of
industries and commercial delivery
4. Leading on initiatives that attract start-ups and disruptors to the North
West over other locations
WHY NOW?HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE NORTH WEST
The Energy Innovation District aims to become the Government’s
flagship destination to drive growth in the region’s energy sector.
• Responds directly to key Government policies including the Industrial
Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy
• Creates the first ever Innovation District focused on Energy in the North West –
setting a blueprint for how this could be achieved elsewhere in the UK
• Focuses on key elements including:
• Partnership working and innovation in new technologies
• Supporting new and existing industries
• Creating a stronger infrastructure network
• Removing barriers to SME growth/scale up
• Enabling growth through research and support
• Creating a skilled and productive workforce
energyinnovationdistrict.com
REASONS TO BE EXCITEDABOUT THE REGION’S ENERGY FUTURE
Delivery of infrastructure and creation of clusters takes time. But there’s
every reason to be excited…
• Peel-commissioned report shows a hydrogen economy in the North West could deliver £1.6bn
GVA by 2050
• Cadent progress the Liverpool-Manchester Hydrogen cluster, plans to deliver network
infrastructure to deliver hydrogen to industrial users across the region
• BGS & NERC advance plans for the UK Geoenergy Observatory in Cheshire, putting the region
at the forefront of subsurface energy research
• Further steps to explore the opportunity for tidal power in the River Mersey
• New energy from waste technologies being explored to manage our resources and create
carbon negative energy
• Advancements in unconventional gas exploration
• Exploration of new energy systems and distribution networks
• The potential for Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) offshore to support inland delivery of low
carbon energy