Member Article

Energy Central moves to showcase Northumberland offshore potential on global level

Energy Central, the Blyth-based offshore energy park, is aiming to to attract further investment from the energy sector at a showcase in Aberdeen next month.

Delivered through a partnership between Arch and the Port of Blyth, the growing hub provides nearly 200 hectares of land aimed at offshore energy sector businesses looking to relocate and grow in Northumberland.

The Energy Central partnership is promoting a selection of these strategic quayside development sites at SPE Offshore Europe 2017 in Aberdeen next month.

The showcase at the exhibition includes four available sites with Enterprise Zone status offering financial incentives – Northumberland Energy Park, Bates Terminal & Wimbourne Quays, Dun Cow Quay and Commissioners Quay alongside established sites South Harbour and Battleship Wharf.

These sites, together with a number of key assets such as the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, a Port training centre and a collection of Newcastle University’s research facilities, make up Energy Central.

Cllr Richard Wearmouth Chair of Arch, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Energy Central at a global level, as SPE Offshore Europe is recognised as one of the leading oil and gas events in Europe, with over 50,000 attendees.

“The sites in Northumberland are ideal for energy sector businesses looking to locate and grow in an area that offers benefits including an experienced and ready-made skills base, Enterprise Zone status and a £25m investment to add a new deep-water quay.”

Over £30m of Government funding has been secured to provide the right conditions for economic growth within Energy Central.

Already the site has supported a number of significant offshore energy projects including assisting Royal IHC Ltd to relocate its entire manufacturing and project base into Blyth, where the Port of Blyth has supported the company in assembly and movement of the world’s most advanced J-Lay pipe system.

This comes on the news that Statnett and National Grid are working together to construct the North Sea Link – an electricity interconnector between Norway and the UK creating the world’s longest subsea interconnector. Connecting the electricity systems of the two countries via high voltage subsea cables from Kvilldal in Norway to Northumberland Energy Park in Blyth, the project sees Energy Central being home to another major offshore construction project with international significance.

As well as EDF Energy Renewables also building a new offshore wind farm off the coast of Blyth. Located less than 7 km offshore, the project will see five turbines with a total capacity of 41.5 MW installed.

Already EDF has built an onshore substation at Energy Central on the Northumberland Energy Park site, adding to its project office at the Blyth Workspace and commitment to a permanent Operation and Maintenance office and maintenance facilities within the Port of Blyth’s South Harbour site.

Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive at the Port of Blyth said: “The Port of Blyth has a great deal of expertise and a consistent track record in supporting the delivery of large scale projects across the energy sector.

“Energy Central offers an ideal location for companies looking for access to markets including offshore wind projects, the decommissioning of oil and gas assets in the Northern, Central and Southern North Sea sectors and fabrication, mobilisation and demobilisation for new and existing oil and gas fields in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS)”.

Energy Central will be exhibiting at SPE Offshore Europe Exhibition 2017 in Aberdeen from 5th – 8th September. They will be situated on stand 1F72.