GENERATE PROSPECTUS - Flipbook - Page 6
Unlimited opportunities in the East of England
A VISION FOR INTEGRATED
CLEAN ENERGY GENERATION
We are ambitious and intend to consolidate
our position as the UK’s clean growth region
over the next 30 years. That means embracing
new technologies and finding ways to make
our power supplies cleaner, sustainable, secure
and resilient. It includes decarbonising our gas
supply, which remains a primary source of heat
and power to UK homes and industry, investing
in renewable generation, and developing
alternative fuels and energy storage.
OUR REGION HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO GENERATE
ENOUGH CLEAN
ENERGY TO POWER THE
EQUIVALENT OF 50% OF
THE UK’S HOMES BY 2050.
We believe the energy ecosystem in our region
has the potential to generate clean power
for around 50% of the UK’s homes by 2050.
That takes account of existing and proposed
developments in our region for offshore wind
in the SNS, nuclear power at Sizewell B and
X
6
Unlimited opportunities in the East of England
Sizewell C, as well as other onshore renewables
such as solar and biomass. We also have a
real opportunity to become the UK’s primary
producer of clean hydrogen for domestic,
industrial, road transport and maritime use.
Reforming natural gas into hydrogen has
traditionally not been easy, cheap or clean.
However, the development of carbon capture
and storage technology and the use of
renewable energy to power the reformation
process have the potential to turn ‘grey’
hydrogen blue. At the same time, electrolysis
powered by renewable energy offers the
prospect of generating even cleaner pink and
green hydrogen.
Those ideas have received a powerful boost
recently from two developments in our region.
The first was the Government awarding coveted
Freeport status to Felixstowe (in Suffolk) and
Harwich (in neighbouring Essex), following a
combined bid that centred on the creation of
an integrated hydrogen generation, storage
and usage hub. The second came in the form
of a report from the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA)
that said Bacton has the potential to become a
significant hydrogen production site for
London and the South East.
A COLLABORATIVE CLEAN
ENERGY ECOSYSTEM
Our clean growth mission is supported by
the commitment of EEEGR, the energy
industry’s regional business organisation.
EEEGR represents more than 200 specialist
energy and engineering firms and has been an
integral part of the community for the last 20
years, leading the drive to attract investment
and raise skills in the region. It combines
business development support with effective
lobbying, innovation promotion, and event
hosting, as well as running various special
interest and supply chain groups.
Other partners in the region include the New
Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and
local authorities, which help deliver a wide
range of business support, including grants
for growth and infrastructure investment. The
New Anglia LEP is responsible for setting the
economic strategies for Norfolk and Suffolk
and places a strong focus on the clean energy
sector and it has established numerous
Enterprise Zones across our region. The Great
Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise Zone in
particular, with six sites in and around the ports,
aims to support growing clusters of energy
related companies.
A number of major strategic innovation projects
are proposed for development on several
Enterprise Zone sites including new innovation
precincts, incubators and business centres which
will accelerate business growth in key higher
value sectors as well as boosting innovative
activity. These centres will connect into the wider
innovation, science and research network to help
enhance the ecosystem of high growth, high
value businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk.
This plan supports a number of activities and
projects aimed at repositioning Enterprise
Zones for clean growth, through encouraging
low carbon, low impact developments,
alternative local energy sources, supporting
greener business practices in key sectors and
encouraging sustainable transport connectivity.
The region’s educational establishment
is also committed to helping develop the
next generation of energy experts,
engineers, technicians and environmentally
minded managers, who will help build a
greener economy.
The Eastern Colleges Group, a collective
of visionary post-16 education providers
comprising of West Suffolk College, One
Sixth Form College and Abbeygate Sixth
Form College are committed to sustainability
X
7
