Energy and Environmental Sectors
The energy sector is one of the most significant sectors in the North West, and contributes around £5 billion, to the North West economy with exports worth around £1.2 billion. Over 50,000 people are employed in the energy business in the Northwest.
Renewable energy, has huge potential for industrial development in the near future in order to meet the UK commitment for 20% renewable energy by 2020 – not much more than 10 years away. The potential sources of renewable energy are numerous and diverse, all represented by research and industry in the region; wind, solar, bio-mass, biodiesel, combined heat & power (CHP), micro generation, wave and tidal energy, and energy from waste, right through to the massive nuclear power industry.
The West Coast of Cumbria is known as the Energy Coast due to its wind and nuclear power expertise and resources, and is one of Europe’s prime areas of wind resource for future offshore and onshore wind energy. The design and construction of several offshore wind farms is currently underway, and new bids are taking place for future blocks of sea. Wind power is the Government’s primary planned resource in renewable power generation, which will probably secure the region as a primary future source of wind energy.
The North West is traditionally the UK centre of the power industry, which continues today as the UK centre of the nuclear industry, with its three main centres at Sellafield in Cumbria, Capenhurst near Chester, and Risley near Warrington. As a result the region has unique strengths and skills in nuclear power generation, where around 23,000 people are employed in the sector in the Northwest - about half the sector's total UK employment.
The Oil & Gas sector is flourishing in the North West, starting with the continuing major source of energy from the gas fields in Morecambe Bay, with its distribution and support infrastructure. There is also the huge oil refinery near Ellesmere Port. A small but significant group of sub-sea technology companies work to extend their boundaries ever wider around the world in such markets as India, Brazil, West Africa and South East Asia, working at ever increasing depths up to 3000m with down hole technology, directional drilling and cable and riser management.
The environmental sector is equally varied in its make up, covering waste, energy saving, land remediation, air pollution, water & wastewater, and the agrochemical industry, all involved in the management and protection of our natural resources. An example of environmental technology can be seen in the work and development in solid-state lighting where energy saving of 80% is achieved. All of these make up a diverse sector supported by many of the Universities in the Region, the NWDA, while the industry supply chains are supported by EnvirolinkNorthwest, whose aim is to strengthen the development of environmental technologies and services in the North West of England.
For further information, please contact the International Trade Team.