The recent launch of the East of England Energy Zone, a unique public and private sector partnership programme created to highlight the region’s offer to the energy sector, is in response to the forecast £31 billion of investment over the next 8 years.

This will create significant opportunities for the development of the supply chain and for local businesses and jobs for the region.

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With almost 50 years’ experience in offshore and marine operations in the southern North Sea, the East of England is home to an energy industry that spans all sectors with a well-established and sizeable supply chain and workforce. Proactive thinking within the region has resulted in early recognition of the immense potential across the east to support the development and future maintenance of the world’s largest wind farms.

The recent launch of the East of England Energy Zone, a unique public and private sector partnership programme created to highlight the region’s offer to the energy sector, is in response to the forecast £31 billion of investment over the next 8 years. This will create significant opportunities for the development of the supply chain and for local businesses and jobs for the region.

Offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea are naturally demanding on the supply chain due to their location and the climate, particularly as the Round 3 locations are up to 200km offshore. The southern North Sea develops some unusually severe sea conditions due to the geography of the continental shelf and currents. Vessels need to offer extremely good sea keeping characteristics for the resulting short seas and choppy waters, unlike the South and West coast regions which have more Atlantic roll and the wave formations are further apart. In short, this means that vessels designed for use in the southern North Sea can operate successfully elsewhere in the world.

Water conditions aside, the strength of the local supply chain in the development of offshore engineering also relies on the proximity of facilities and expertise to the wind farms, which in the southern North Sea is very close. The region’s two deepwater ports, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft are within 70km of where £50 billion of capital expenditure will be invested in offshore wind, nuclear, gas storage and platform decommissioning over the next 20 years.

James Gray, Inward Investment Director, East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) for the East of England Energy Zone said: “This is a time of unprecedented growth in offshore wind. The East of England Energy Zone is home to an energy industry that spans all areas of the sector with 45 years’ experience in offshore and marine operations in the southern North Sea. Asa a result, the development, construction and operation of specialist support vessels for the all-energy sector is well-established.”

David Martin, project manager at Marine East, said “The recent Seawork exhibition presented the entire supply chain for commercial marine. Companies on show there from within the East of England Energy Zone and members of Marine East included Alicat Workboats, E-Tech Group, Goodchild Marine, Seaglaze and ASAP Supplies.

“The significance of the marine renewable energy sector was demonstrated by the inclusion of a ‘renewables pavilion’ and exhibitors with an interest in this fast expanding market were spread throughout the exhibition. The entire supply chain was represented including builders of vessels for survey, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance, operators of logistics support vessels, component suppliers of everything from windows and windscreen wipers, cleats and fasteners, up to marine diesel engines and sector specific staff recruitment and training organisations.”

Alicat Workboats of Great Yarmouth recently announced the delivery of the Dalby Tees, its second offshore renewables vessel, the first being the Dalby Humber which was delivered earlier this year – an expansion creating 20 new on and offshore positions.

In the East of England Energy Zone around 6,200 businesses are active offering an existing support network for gas, offshore and onshore wind, wave, solar, geothermal and nuclear with attendant needs such as power transmission, micro-generation installation, operation & maintenance. Between them they generate a total annual turnover of £12.9 billion and employ approximately 103,400 people. There is a broad understanding both across the sector and the eastern region that the arrival and expansion of the offshore wind industry represents an extension of opportunities for businesses locally from eateries and shops right through to the vessel builders and maintenance workers.

Alan Goodchild, Chairman of Marine East and Goodchild Marine, has high hopes for the offshore renewables sector: “In 2011, the UK Marine Industries Leadership Council (MILC) identified substantial opportunities for growth in the sector from, among others, marine renewable energy, forecasting almost 50% expansion by 2021. In the East of England, one of the top three in the UK for Marine activity, Marine East sees the prospect of a better result than that and is looking for some 8% per annum compound growth.”

With the region’s proven expertise and accessible facilities, an established marine supply chain and a proactive attitude towards energy generation through the medium of offshore wind, the East of England Energy Zone is well placed to attract significant inward investment over the next twenty years.

The consortium responsible for the creation of the East of England Energy Zone brings together a wealth of expertise from Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Waveney and North Norfolk District Councils, the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) the region’s energy sector industry body and the Chambers of Commerce for Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mr Gray concluded: “The East of England Energy Zone is uniquely positioned to support the all-energy sector not just in the southern North Sea but also around the globe.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the East of England Energy Zone and the benefits of locating there can contact James Gray on 01493 446535.

With almost 50 years’ experience in offshore and marine operations in the southern North Sea, the East of England is home to an energy industry that spans all sectors with a well-established and sizeable supply chain and workforce. Proactive thinking within the region has resulted in early recognition of the immense potential across the east to support the development and future maintenance of the world’s largest wind farms.

The recent launch of the East of England Energy Zone, a unique public and private sector partnership programme created to highlight the region’s offer to the energy sector, is in response to the forecast £31 billion of investment over the next 8 years. This will create significant opportunities for the development of the supply chain and for local businesses and jobs for the region.

Offshore wind farms in the southern North Sea are naturally demanding on the supply chain due to their location and the climate, particularly as the Round 3 locations are up to 200km offshore. The southern North Sea develops some unusually severe sea conditions due to the geography of the continental shelf and currents. Vessels need to offer extremely good sea keeping characteristics for the resulting short seas and choppy waters, unlike the South and West coast regions which have more Atlantic roll and the wave formations are further apart. In short, this means that vessels designed for use in the southern North Sea can operate successfully elsewhere in the world.

Water conditions aside, the strength of the local supply chain in the development of offshore engineering also relies on the proximity of facilities and expertise to the wind farms, which in the southern North Sea is very close. The region’s two deepwater ports, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft are within 70km of where £50 billion of capital expenditure will be invested in offshore wind, nuclear, gas storage and platform decommissioning over the next 20 years.

James Gray, Inward Investment Director, East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) for the East of England Energy Zone said: “This is a time of unprecedented growth in offshore wind. The East of England Energy Zone is home to an energy industry that spans all areas of the sector with 45 years’ experience in offshore and marine operations in the southern North Sea. Asa a result, the development, construction and operation of specialist support vessels for the all-energy sector is well-established.”

David Martin, project manager at Marine East, said “The recent Seawork exhibition presented the entire supply chain for commercial marine. Companies on show there from within the East of England Energy Zone and members of Marine East included Alicat Workboats, E-Tech Group, Goodchild Marine, Seaglaze and ASAP Supplies.

“The significance of the marine renewable energy sector was demonstrated by the inclusion of a ‘renewables pavilion’ and exhibitors with an interest in this fast expanding market were spread throughout the exhibition. The entire supply chain was represented including builders of vessels for survey, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance, operators of logistics support vessels, component suppliers of everything from windows and windscreen wipers, cleats and fasteners, up to marine diesel engines and sector specific staff recruitment and training organisations.”

Alicat Workboats of Great Yarmouth recently announced the delivery of the Dalby Tees, its second offshore renewables vessel, the first being the Dalby Humber which was delivered earlier this year – an expansion creating 20 new on and offshore positions.

In the East of England Energy Zone around 6,200 businesses are active offering an existing support network for gas, offshore and onshore wind, wave, solar, geothermal and nuclear with attendant needs such as power transmission, micro-generation installation, operation & maintenance. Between them they generate a total annual turnover of £12.9 billion and employ approximately 103,400 people. There is a broad understanding both across the sector and the eastern region that the arrival and expansion of the offshore wind industry represents an extension of opportunities for businesses locally from eateries and shops right through to the vessel builders and maintenance workers.

Alan Goodchild, Chairman of Marine East and Goodchild Marine, has high hopes for the offshore renewables sector: “In 2011, the UK Marine Industries Leadership Council (MILC) identified substantial opportunities for growth in the sector from, among others, marine renewable energy, forecasting almost 50% expansion by 2021. In the East of England, one of the top three in the UK for Marine activity, Marine East sees the prospect of a better result than that and is looking for some 8% per annum compound growth.”

With the region’s proven expertise and accessible facilities, an established marine supply chain and a proactive attitude towards energy generation through the medium of offshore wind, the East of England Energy Zone is well placed to attract significant inward investment over the next twenty years.

The consortium responsible for the creation of the East of England Energy Zone brings together a wealth of expertise from Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Waveney and North Norfolk District Councils, the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) the region’s energy sector industry body and the Chambers of Commerce for Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mr Gray concluded: “The East of England Energy Zone is uniquely positioned to support the all-energy sector not just in the southern North Sea but also around the globe.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the East of England Energy Zone and the benefits of locating there can contact James Gray on 01493 446535.