Partner Article

North East energy bid charges on

The Consortium bidding to host the Energy technologies Institute (ETI) in NorthEast England has been named as one of three short-listed finalists to host the headquarters of this national centre. The institute will be responsible for the allocation of approximately £1bn of private and public research funds into renewable and low carbon energy, and the North East Consortium will now face competition from Scotland and the Midlands, at a final selection presentation in London on September 6th, with the host location to be formally announced in early October.

Rt. Hon Nick Brown MP, Minister for the North East, said: “Of all the projects and programmes underway in our region, the ETI bid is the issue which I think should have top priority, and something which I will advocate most to the government of our country.”

The ETI will be set-up almost immediately and if the North East is successful, will establish the region as the energy innovation capital of the UK. More than £6bn planned commercial investment in novel energy projects in the region has already been announced, and the proposal developed in conjunction with One NorthEast and the Science and Industry Council, demonstrates the region’s capability across the energy technology spectrum.

Professor Chris Brink, Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University, said: “This is great news for the North East and brings us one step closer to realising our ambition to be the energy capital of the UK. “We have a huge array of expertise and facilities on our doorstep and I look forward to continuing to work with our partners as I believe that the North East consortium is in a unique position to take this bid forward.”

Ahead of their presentation in London, the North East Consortium continues to urge supporters to add statements of their support online at http://eti.ncl.ac.uk/support/. For further information on the North East’s proposal please visit http://eti.ncl.ac.uk/index.php or call the ETI team on 0191 246 4951.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .