Business Opportunities

Turning fine words into real business

The East of England is a world leader in low carbon technology. The government plans for 10% of UK energy to come from renewable sources by 2010, and 15% by 2015. The region is well ahead of those targets and committed to generating 14% of its power from renewables by 2010.

Engineering company Peter Brotherhood are specialists in the design and manufacture of renewable energy equipment. Managing director Stephen Fitzpatrick says: "The marine renewable energy industry represents a huge opportunity for the UK."

And it's happening now. Three offshore wind farms in the Thames Estuary to get the go-ahead include plans for the world's largest - the €2.2bn London Array which will have 341 turbines, covering 90 square miles some 12 miles off the Kent and Essex coasts. The first phase of construction work has commenced onshore, with offshore work due to start in early 2011. The second major scheme in the Thames Estuary to be given the go ahead is the £450million Thanet project consisting of 100 turbines off the north Kent coast.

The Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm in the Outer Thames Estuary is located approximately 26km from the Suffolk Coast. It will consist of 140 wind turbines with an overall generation capacity of 504 MW, sufficient to power over 415,500 homes. Scottish and Southern Energy, owners of the project are based in OrbisEnergy and offshore work is already underway.

Furthermore, the Crown Estate's Round 3 leasing programme for new offshore windfarm sites continues to evolve with nine development zones, of which one of the largest is located off the East of England coastline.

OrbisEnergy is therefore perfectly located to place companies and investors at the heart of this booming sector with the nearby airports of Norwich and Stansted, the ports of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and fast road and rail links, providing first-class industry support.