The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership has published its Energy & Low Carbon Sector Plan. Written by business leaders and industry experts from across Lancashire’s energy and low carbon sector, the plan sets out an ambitious vision for the county.
Co-chaired by LEP Board Directors Miranda Barker (Chief Executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce) and Mick Gornall (Managing Director, Clean Energy and Specialist Services at Cavendish Nuclear), the Energy & Low Carbon Sector Group was convened in 2020 to consider the strategic challenges facing the industry and to ensure that Lancashire was well placed to maximise the significant opportunities that the energy and low carbon revolution presented.
Lancashire has a concentration of low carbon energy assets including nuclear, wind, marine and battery technologies with particular, specialist strengths in nuclear and wind. There are 5,200 Lancashire businesses operating in the energy & environment sector which include a broad range of renewable businesses. These businesses employ 40,000 workers. In addition to which, it is home to cutting-edge advanced manufacturers and world-leading engineering companies which provide the technical innovation and design expertise which contribute to a unique low carbon ecosystem.
This Energy & Low Carbon Plan not only articulates the scale of the opportunity in front of Lancashire, it also identifies the policy and funding interventions – at both the local and regional level – needed to realise that opportunity.
Commenting, Miranda Barker said: “This is an exciting time for Lancashire. Our energy and low carbon sector is diverse, with strengths in key industries which, in their own right, present a compelling offer. However, when combined with our strong manufacturing and engineering heritage, our technological expertise and significant innovation asset base, as a county this translates into a formidable narrative with huge potential and unrivalled capabilities to contribute to the Government’s Net Zero and levelling-up ambitions, not to mention furthering Lancashire’s ability to export technology solutions to the world.”
Sarah Kemp, Chief Executive of the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership, commented: “The LEP has a responsibility to look at the county through an economic lens and shape the right interventions to secure strong, inclusive economic growth. Through the Energy & Low Carbon Sector Group, the LEP has brought together business leaders in the field who have provided the insight and expertise to develop this plan. We have already secured investment for some of our interventions – such as RedCAT and the AMRC Low Carbon Demonstrator projects – and have started to articulate the skills our sector will need to ensure we can convert our ambitions into reality. But this is just the beginning. The energy & low carbon revolution will continue to provide opportunities across all of Lancashire’s sectors, and it will be our role to translate these so our businesses can adapt and thrive and our residents have the skills to access future green jobs opportunities.”
The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership will continue to work with the business-led Energy & Low Carbon Sector Group to develop business-led projects and identify strategic collaborations with other LEP areas. It will also look for proactive opportunities to influence national and regional policy to ensure the voice of the Lancashire’s energy & low carbon sector is represented and heard at all levels, with Lancashire getting the recognition it deserves in this space.
The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership will produce a delivery plan setting out in detail how we will implement the Energy & Low Carbon Sector Group’s recommendations. This sector plan is just the beginning and the LEP will continue to identify new ways to develop and promote the sector, ensuring activity remains relevant and responsive to emerging opportunities.
The Energy & Low Carbon Sector Plan is available to view here
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