Humber looks to green future
THE opportunity for the Humber to become a major hub for green energy businesses will be explored at a conference later this year.
The New Energy Economy event at the University of Hull follows the decision by Siemens to build a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Hull and the Government’s go-ahead for the Humber Gateway wind farm.
Prof Stephanie Haywood, director of the University of Hull’s Centre for Adaptive Science and Sustainability, said the shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy was creating significant opportunities but also presenting challenges for both private and public sectors.
“We are in a period of major transition and ultimately, all of the region’s companies will be affected by the emerging technologies and legislation around climate change. It is therefore critical to raise the profile of the issues and help the region step-up to the new challenges,” she said.
Dr Glyn Hughes, chief executive of Humber Chemical Focus, said: “The Humber’s emergence as a major player in the new energy economy has put the region firmly under the spotlight in a way that is unmatched elsewhere in the UK.
“New energy sources are increasingly combining with traditional sources of generation and at the same time we are developing new ways of storing and conserving energy as well as offsetting our carbon emissions. This event is about helping businesses and communities in our region understand the scale of the opportunities associated with the arrival of this new energy economy.
“In the very near future, all types of businesses, not just the energy intensive ones, will have to report on their carbon output and pay accordingly. The region’s future economic growth will be strongly influenced by how decarbonised we are.”
The conference takes place on May 4.
