North East group targets low-carbon energy leadership

Teesside, UK - Regional development agency One NorthEast has approved funding of £432,000 for the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) to lead North East Energy 2015 (NEE 2015) a new project aimed at generating over £80 million of investment over the next seven years. The project is targeted at attracting major investment by private sector investors, both nationally and internationally with a number of large projects expected to be worth in excess of £10m each.

NEE 2015 will work with private companies and public bodies to create large-scale demonstration activities for low-carbon energy systems based on chemical and process industry approaches. This will include fuel cells, fuelling waste utilisation and innovative combinations of existing technologies. CPI's remit is to provide a test bed for this technology optimising the region’s combination of research and process skills, assets, logistics and business infrastructure.

 “This approval of funding for the North East Energy 2015 project provides a massive boost for an industry which is very much establishing itself here in North East England," said Joanne Glendinning, process senior specialist advisor at One NorthEast. “With this launch we are confirming our commitment to low carbon energy technologies and including fuel cells and ensuring this region is at the cutting-edge of its development. This will in turn raise our profile nationally and internationally, ensuring continued investment and job creation.”