North East England’s strengths in the offshore wind sector will be showcased to a global audience next week as a regional delegation led by inward investment agency Invest North East England and including the North East’s three deep sea ports – Blyth, Tyne, and Sunderland along with Shepherd Offshore, attend the world’s biggest wind energy trade fair in Hamburg, Germany.
WindEnergy Hamburg, which takes place from Tuesday 24 to Friday 27 September, attracts more than 40,000 attendees from 100 countries. The annual event brings together the global destinations, companies and organisations leading the future of onshore and offshore wind.
The Invest North East England delegation attending this year’s event will be highlighting how the region’s world-class infrastructure, pioneering green skills, and established supply chain has positioned the North East as the UK’s most advanced offshore wind cluster.
Invest North East England is part of the North East Combined Authority (North East CA). Councillor Michael Mordey, Lead member for Finance and Investment at the North East CA and Leader at Sunderland City Council, said:
“Our attendance at WindEnergy Hamburg is a unique opportunity to show potential investors why they should choose our region as the gateway to the thriving North Sea offshore energy market.”
“We are in a unique position when it comes to attracting business to invest in our offshore wind sector. Not only do we have three large deep sea ports located on three major UK rivers, but we are also strategically located next to all the major offshore wind developments in the North East basin – including Dogger Bank, the largest offshore wind farm in the world.
“These major strengths, coupled with centuries of maritime and engineering expertise and specialist skills in the green jobs of the future, means North East England is now one of the leading destinations in the world for development and innovation in offshore wind.
Demonstrating the region’s collaborative approach to growing the North East’s offshore wind sector, the delegation travelling to WindEnergy Hamburg includes representatives from Invest North East England, Port of Blyth, Port of Sunderland, Port of Tyne, Shepherd Offshore, and local councils.
The group will be meeting with potential investors, emerging businesses, and all the leading players from the global wind energy market, in a bid to attract more companies to locate and invest in North East England.
Councillor Mordey added:
“One of our region’s greatest assets is our skilled and talented workforce, which includes almost 57,000 people working in specialist advanced manufacturing and engineering roles. Across the wider manufacturing sector, we have a further 110,000 employees, and the pipeline of talent continues to grow with a student population of 124,000 across the wider region’s five universities.
“For offshore wind companies looking to grow their operations in the UK, access to a skilled, loyal, and productive workforce is essential.
“As an innovative sector of industry, the technology and practices used in offshore wind are continually evolving. Investment in research and development – as well as access to academic expertise – is key to the sector’s growth. Here in North East England we have some world-class R&D facilities, including the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in Blyth and CPI in County Durham.
“It’s assets like these that we’ll be showcasing at WindEnergy Hamburg to demonstrate to investors why they should join our offshore wind cluster, which already includes some of the biggest names in the industry, including Equinor, SSE Renewables, JDR Cables and Smulders Projects UK.
“Another key selling point for our region is our established local supply chain. Almost all aspects of the supply chain are located on our doorstep – from cable manufacturing, subsea technology and foundations to transition pieces, towers, and extensive O&M facilities. We have everything the sector needs to drive further growth, which is why North East England is the best destination in the UK for companies working in offshore wind and green energy.”
WindEnergy Hamburg takes place from 24-27 September in Hamburg, Germany. The North East England delegation can be found on the Invest North East England stand (no. B2.EG.450). For more information visit www.windenergyhamburg.com.
