Sustainable UK Cities: Newcastle, 25th June
“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.”
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