SPONSORS OF REGIONAL FOCUS
NORTH EAST CHAMBER OF
conference hosted by the North East Chamber of Commerce recently. Speakers from National Grid, BT, Local Enterprise Partnerships and international law firm Eversheds LLP addressed the event – Charles Reynard, corporate and energy partner at Eversheds LLP summarises the debate.
REGION’S RESOURCES
While there were infrastructural pinch points and improvements to exciting infrastructure required, the Region was seen as resource rich in its people, skills, climate, coastal location and water resources. All of which are attractive for inward investment and manufacturing industry.
The digital infrastructure is good and has spawned two very successful IT hubs at Middlesbrough and Sunderland. The transport infrastructure comprising road, rail, ports and airports is extensive but contains bottlenecks that need to be addressed as part of a co-ordinated overall
economic strategy. Resources are limited and so only “game changing” improvements can be considered.
RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES The Regions potential as a hub for renewable energy, both on-shore and offshore is key. The uncertainty of government policy and vagueness of the planning system are unhelpful. However, Julian Leslie of National Grid highlighted the investment to be made in the Region.
ELECTRICITY CONNECTION RECOGNISED
The need to reinforce the electricity grid to allow new connections to be made are well recognised. Faced with increasing power prices and carbon emissions penalties, representatives of manufacturing industry explored the possibility of private wire networks powered by CHP or Biomass Plant.
COMMERCE CONFERENCE NORTH EAST INFRASTRUCTURE – ARE WE FIT FOR THE FUTURE? Over 80 delegates attended a lively
WORKING TOGETHER
The conference had an air of realism. The North East is a net exporter and contributor to UK plc. Its energy requirements are significant and the carbon pricing regime is attritional for manufacturing industry. However, the need for the LEP’s to work in a co- ordinated fashion to focus on one or two seismic improvements for the Region, of which renewable energy is possibly one, is central to its future success.
North East Chamber of Commerce
www.necc.co.uk
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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