Last month, Cavendish sponsored Place North’s Energy and Power Conference, focused on the region’s opportunities to support the energy transition. At the event, James Johnson, head of regional programme at North West Net Zero Hub, launched their new North West Clean Power Position Paper, which outlines a clear ambition to present the North West as a leader in green innovation and industrial decarbonisation.
The prize is clear for the region: economic growth, the creation of high-quality jobs and a long-term supply chain. But with other regions keen to claim the energy hub crown, is the North West setting itself apart?
When it comes to nationally significant infrastructure projects the region has been slightly behind others, coming 7th out of the 10 regions with consented schemes. But when you look at schemes in pre-application or examination, the region rises to the 4th most.
Unlike some regions, the North West doesn’t just have one jewel in its crown but a whole collection: nuclear in Cumbria, Tidal Power in Merseyside, hydrogen in Cheshire and onshore wind in Greater Manchester.
One thing the region does consistently well is political collaboration. Take Hynet North West, the project has had support from MPs and the Liverpool City Mayor Steve Rotheram. A great example of using high-profile advocates to drive a project forward.
Equally, public opinion on energy projects in the North West has in general been supportive, driven by a shared ambition to become a clean energy superpower and a desire for local ownership, economic resilience, and climate leadership.
But with growing scepticism about the costs of the shift to Net Zero from some voters and politicians at a national level, maintaining momentum behind the North West’s drive to decarbonise will not be straightforward. Developers will need to continue to show how projects will benefit people’s lives, as well as the wider environment.
An area the region will have to tackle, alongside other regions, is skills. Delivering net zero will require a huge amount of new skills, in fact the Clean Energy 2030 Action Plan highlights that 1 in 5 jobs will see shifting skill demands due to net zero. Regions will need to meet this need, attract and retraining talent. Luckily the North West, has a track record in this area. Sellafield employs approximately 11,000 staff and has a long history of attracting and retaining good people in the industry.
In summary, in my opinion the region is stepping up to the net zero challenge and is successfully bringing together business, decision makers and the public to positioning itself as a leading green energy region.
