'East Anglia at epicentre of offshore wind energy sector globally'
The Director of Policy for the East of England Energy Group says the industry could help bring in significant investment into the region
The offshore wind sector has the potential to bring in greater investment and high-skilled jobs into the East Anglia, according to the Director of Policy for the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR).
We caught up with Simon Green, just as soaring gas prices cause household energy bills to sky-rocket.
"We we used to store lots of gas in the event of having these spikes in in prices back in the day. Unfortunately, the government made a policy decision not to store gas any longer, so we're very susceptible to market fluctuations in oil and gas prices."
"What were trying to do now is looking at things like renewables, and in particular offshore wind and nuclear energy, which obviously is a far more where we're generating energy for ourselves as opposed to having to import it.
"That's why we're seeing these sizable investments in these huge wind farms and things like Sizewell C (nuclear plant in Suffolk)", he explains.
The region itself is a hotbed for offshore wind energy generation in particular. Mr Green says, "About 47% of the total installed capacity of offshore wind in the United Kingdom is off the coast of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and there is more offshore wind in the UK than any other nation on Earth.
"So by its very nature, the East of England is at the very epicentre of offshore wind globally."
It is helped by the relatively softer seabed and calm nature of the North Sea off the coasts of East Anglia, alongside its proximity to regions with high demand like London, the Midlands and the South-East of England.
"Our region has had about 50 years of production of oil and gas as well as of nuclear production. So, we've got a pedigree in the history of energy production and a supply chain that supports it.
"Because of a combination of all these factors, the East of England is the ideal place for energy generation for the for the UK."
Despite these benefits, plans for offshore wind farms generates opposition in the region. This comes from the fact that there is a need for large cable corridors across the coast and into the mainland in order to deliver the energy onshore and transfer it to various parts of the country.
The creating of this infrastructure necessitates the digging of large trenches along the coast and into the mainland, damaging many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and historic villages. A special committee of MPs and county councillors, Offshore Electricity Grid Task Force (OffSET) was formed to ensure that local landscapes and communities were better protected from uncoordinated energy infrastructure.
Mr Green says, "If we're going to try and reduce the impacts of climate change upon our planet, we need to have this offshore wind energy urgently. We can no longer wait around and have long debates and discussions about how we bring this energy onto the grid.
"We have to act now, and I accept that that's going to upset some communities. However, I think we have little choice because if we keep on kicking decisions down the road, then actually we're gonna end up having a debate, with the seas around our ankles and around our knees."
Besides environmental benefits, the renewable energy sector also promises to bring high-skilled employment to the region.
Mr Green explains, "That's absolutely key for rural areas like Norfolk and Suffolk, because most of the jobs we have are within agriculture, the service sector or hospitality, which is great and I'm delighted to see so many jobs in those areas.
"However, we also need well-paid, skilled jobs as well, and that's where the energy sector comes in."
He also welcomes the investment made to port infrastructure through schemes like Freeport East, which encourage companies in the green energy sector to move to the region.
"I'm happy to see investments in our port infrastructure particularly those areas which have been left well less well off over the years like Harwich, Felixstowe and Yarmouth, which had to transition away from traditional industries such as fishing and find new opportunities.
"I believe that offshore wind and offshore renewables in general will provide a number of opportunities for that transition and we can see some fairly hefty investments in our port infrastructure as a result of that, in roads and rail and things of that nature as well.
"We're estimating some £1.2b worth investment across the East of England up till 2050. These are vast sums of money that are being invested in our region and let's hope that this has a trickle down effect upon our economy, right the way across the East Anglia."