Utility Week

12 | 21ST - 27TH FEBRUARY 2020 | UTILITY WEEK Regional Growth & Utilities In Regional Growth and Utilities so far: Are utilities part of the government's big plan? (UW, 24 January) Interview with Siemens UK CEO Carl Ennis (UW, 31 January) Interview with Henri Murison, CEO of Northern Powerhouse Partnership (UW, 7 February) A growing pro le A few years ago, when Toulson told her Kent friends she was o to study at Hull University, some responded: "Where's that?" These days, however, Humberside's pro• le is rising rapidly. From Hull being crowned City of Culture in 2017 to the announcement of a new town deal for Grimsby in 2018, aimed at regenerating the area, pro- gress is happening and being noticed. "I think the economic spotlight has had a ripple e ect," says Toulson, and it's something she believes will expand as the industry develops further. "Now that wind is really becoming quite a signi• cant part of the energy mix, it's got the opportunity to, yes, produce electricity, but also in the future to potentially play a role in the decarbonisation of other things. I think that's an exciting opportunity up ahead as well." With recent landmark conferences and summits in the region, including the Northern Powerhouse Clean Growth Conference in Hull last November, and the Waterline Summit – looking at a complete model to decarbonise the Humber – the area is gaining traction as a big player in the road to net zero. It may live with the juxtaposition of being the UK's biggest polluting industrial corridor and busiest port complex – including providing a base for coal imports and huge meat processing activity – but Marketing Hum- ber is also billing its region as the perfect microcosm for becoming a priority area for decarbonisation. At the close of last year, its chair, Andy Parkinson, was reported as urging government: "There is no better place within the North to develop, test and deploy the technologies which will help us decarbonise the econ- omy and create clean growth… Come here and experi- ment – and let us get it done." That growing spotlight is something Toulson has also seen attract increasing international interest. "In our facilities this year we've hosted Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, to name a few. I still • nd it quite staggering in some ways that people are travelling from Japan to come to Grimsby and Hull, but it's because here is where the new markets are opening up. They want to see how it looks, how it is more mature. "One of the things we're now trying to do while the spotlight is on, is to make the connection between the UK business bases and those parties coming from over- seas. That potential could bring export opportunities. It's using the opportunity to make sure that the right connec- tions are made. Because the UK is setting an example. We can show how it's done." Suzanne Heneghan, editor, Utility Week Walney Extension Walney 1&2 West of Duddon Sands Barrow Burbo Bank Extension Burbo Bank Westermost Rough Hornsea 1&2 Race Bank Lincs Gunfleet Sands 1&2 London Array 1 Wind power under construction Wind power in operation Community support • Ørsted's East Coast Community Fund (ECCF) has committed £9.3 million to sup- port worthy environmental and community projects in the area. • The ECCF will donate approximately £465,000 every year for the next 20 years, £75,000 of which is ringfenced for a skills fund. • It also supports the Women into Manufacturing and Engineering initiative in the Humber to encourage women and girls into the o— shore wind industry. ØRSTED'S UK OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS continued from previous page "I still fi nd it quite staggering in some ways that people are travelling from Japan to come to Grimsby and Hull, but it's because here is where the new markets are opening up. They want to see how it looks, how it is more mature." EMMA TOULSON, LEAD STAKEHOLDER ADVISER, ØRSTED

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