Sustainable UK Cities: Newcastle,
25th June
Vermont Hotel, Castle Garth, Newcastle upon Tyne
“The North East could play a pivotal role in helping Government
meet the renewable energy targets announced in the Draft Strategy for Renewables
in the UK”, according to the UK Business Council for Sustainable
Energy (UKBCSE).
At a climate change event held in Newcastle, David Green, Chief Executive
of the UKBCSE, described the region as “the home of progressive
thinking on energy” and called for closer partnerships between
the public and private sector in the region to help it realise its potential.
The Draft Strategy commits to 15 per cent of the UK’s energy coming
from renewable sources by 2020, including wind turbines, combined heat and
power, sustainable bio fuels and solar panels. Less than five per cent of
Britain’s electricity currently comes from green sources.
It includes grants and loans for business to increase green energy and plans
for projects to be connected more quickly to the National Grid. This will
provide a boost to strategic partnerships between industry (to create innovative
technology), local government (to support R&D, manufacture and distribution)
and business (to supply and receive renewable energy).
The Sustainable UK Cities event, hosted by the UKBCSE and supported by Shell
UK, took place at the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle on 25th June. It attracted
almost one hundred representatives from North East Councils, energy companies,
enterprise agencies and industry in the region to examine partnership opportunities
specific to the North East. These included:
Offshore Wind
Local government support for industry in developing the wind energy projects
at NAREC and Blyth: to support the research and development, and find locations
for manufacture and installation.
South Tyneside Housing Project
While local government supports the site’s planning and development
it is calling on industry to create the innovative renewables – domestic
turbines and solar panels – that will help make the project the North
East’s first carbon neutral housing development.
James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK, said: “We need to unlock the
potential of a whole range of energy solutions in areas like the North East
that have the technology and resources to respond to the energy challenge.
Energy efficiency, renewables and carbon capture and storage could all play
an important role.”
He added: “The Sustainable UK Cities events are touring the UK to
explore how all stakeholders might work together on the energy challenge.”
Agenda
2.30pm Registration
3.00pm Introduction and welcome
- David Green, Chief Executive, UKBCSE
Read Biography
3.05pm Tackling Climate Change in Newcastle
- Councillor John Shipley, Leader of Newcastle City Council
Read Biography
3.15pm The Energy Challenge
- James Smith, Chairman, Shell UK
Read Biography
3.25pm Q&A session with James Smith
3.40pm The role of Local Authorities
- David Green, Chief Executive, UKBCSE
Read Biography
View Presentation
(pdf)
4pm Light refreshments
4.15pm The role of Businesses
- Dr Stewart Davies, Managing Director, Serco Integrated Services
4.30pm Panel discussion and Q&A
Chaired by David Green, Chief Executive, UKBCSE
Read
Biography
- Dr Stewart Davies, Managing Director, Serco Integrated Services
- Councillor Wendy Taylor, Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability,
Newcastle City Council
Read Biography
- Chris Pywell, Head of Strategic Economic Change, One NorthEast
Read Biography
- Dr Keith Melton, Director of Technology and Innovation, NaREC
5.30pm Drinks reception
7pm End
Speakers Biographies
David Green OBE, FRSA FiE
Chief Executive, UKBCSE
David Green is Chief Executive of the UK Business Council for Sustainable
Energy (UKBCSE) which was established in 2002. This followed his previous
role as Director of the Combined Heat and Power Association.
He was appointed by the Mayor of London to Chair the London Energy Partnership. He was a member of the UK Government delegations to the World Summit on Sustainable Development and in 2004 took part in the International Conference on Renewable Energy. He was a Commissioner for the LGA Climate Change Commission, which released its final report in December 2007. He is also a member of the high level Ministerial Advisory Group on Sustainable Communities. David Green was awarded the MBE in 1986 and the OBE in 2003.
James Smith
Chairman, Shell UK
James is the Chairman of Shell UK. He has been with Shell since 1983 and has
worked in all the Group’s major businesses. Until the end of 2003 he
was on the global board of Shell Chemicals as head of technology, strategy
and sustainable development. He has also been head of resourcing, which principally
involved ensuring there is a highly talented and diverse group of leaders
for the top 200 jobs in Shell.
Much of James’ early career was in upstream oil and gas production, latterly in business development. He has been extensively involved in Shell business in a number of Middle Eastern countries and in the US. In addition, he was MD of Shell’s downstream business in Brunei and chaired Shell’s global catalyst business during a period of restructuring for profitability. James has a degree in physics and is a chartered accountant. Before joining Shell he worked with Accenture.
Councillor John Shipley
Leader of Newcastle City Council
John Shipley is Leader of Newcastle City Council. He represents Parklands
Ward and was first elected as a Councillor in May 1975. The City Council has
78 Elected members (46 Liberal Democrat, 31 Labour, 1 Independent). The City
is the regional capital of North East England, with a population of approximately
270,000.
John represents the City Council on a number of outside bodies including
the Northern Way Steering Group and English Core Cities, Tyne & Wear Development
Co. Ltd Board of Directors and the Theatre Royal Trust Limited of which he
is Chair. He was appointed a Board Member of One NorthEast in December 2005.
He was awarded an OBE in the 1995 New Year’s Honours List. He stood
as a Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Party in 1974 (Blyth twice),
Hexham 1979, Newcastle North 1983 and 1987.
Dr Stewart Davies
Managing Director, Serco Integrated Services
Stewart has over twenty years business experience in general management and
strategy including Managing Director roles in Corus, Rugby Cement and Serco.
He was a founder member of the Corby Urban Regeneration Company and served
as a Trustee of the BRE Trust (formerly called the Foundation for the Built
Environment).
As Managing Director, Serco Integrated Services, he leads Serco’s Property and Facilities Management business in the public sector. This includes contracts in health, home affairs, defence, central government and local government where Serco’s innovative support services enable its clients to focus on delivering their core operations and meeting the challenges they increasingly face of responding flexibly and delivering change, such as shared services and multi-agency working.
Prior to this role, Stewart was Managing Director of Serco Integrated Services’ Local Government business and led the team bidding the innovative shared service refuse and recycling contract procured jointly by Mid-Suffolk and Babergh Councils.
Stewart is Business Commissioner at the Sustainable Development Commission. Over the last two years he has led the Sustainable Development Commission’s input to the Government’s Strategy for Sustainable Construction, its Business Taskforce on Sustainable Consumption & Production, Mobility 2020 and Building Schools for the Future.
Councillor Wendy Taylor
Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability, Newcastle City Council
Councillor Wendy Taylor has been a member of the Liberal Democrats since 1971
and was elected as Councillor for Dene Ward in 1988. She served as Deputy
Leader of the Liberal Democrat Council Group from 1998 until 2005 and has
been a member of the Executive since June 2004. She currently holds the portfolio
for Environment, Sustainability and Transport.
Wendy serves on a number of committees such as Procurement Committee, Neighbourhood Committee and Planning and Transport Strategy Committee. She also serves on a number of outside bodies including Joint Street Lighting Committee, Theatre Royal Trust.
Chris Pywell
Head of Strategic Economic Change at One NorthEast
Chris Pywell is currently Head of Strategic Economic Change at One NorthEast,
the Regional Development Agency for North East England. In this role, he leads
the development of the Agency’s programmes and projects aiming to develop
a more competitive and productive economy based on innovation and creativity.
Chris is also currently overseeing the Agency’s wider Business and Enterprise
strategy.
Chris joined the Agency in 2001 to develop the Strategy for Success programme to achieve a major shift in the North East’s economic structure through the development and commercialisation of the region’s scientific research base. Prior to joining the Agency, he was an advisor to European Governments, the European Commission, multi-national enterprises and research organisations on innovation and economic development and on policies to support the development of innovation and enterprise. He has extensive experience in business in strategic and technology management roles.
The UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy
(UKBCSE)
The UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy brings together the major energy
companies in the UK to help facilitate a rapid transition to a sustainable
energy economy, consistent with a secure, affordable and reliable infrastructure.
Through the Sustainable UK Cities Seminar Series, the UKBCSE seeks to promote
active partnerships between Cities and the private sector to tackle climate
change.
Shell UK
Shell was one of the first energy companies to call for action on climate
change. In addition to technologies for mitigating emissions from fossil fuels,
Shell is working on later generation biofuels, wind, solar and hydrogen. Energy
is the fuel for economic activity and growth and an essential requirement
for economic and social development. Shell’s energy scenario planning
suggests that cities will play a vital role in creating a low carbon economy,
as they seek additional sources of energy and new levels of energy efficiency
for their increasing prosperity. Through the Sustainable UK Cities events,
Shell aims to engage local government and business communities in the energy
debate.
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