The campaign to attract inward investment to the East of England Energy Zone (EEEZ) is stepping up a notch this year as it targets potential investors at major offshore energy events in Europe.
The zone, a joint enterprise by business and councils in Norfolk and Suffolk, will promote the region’s energy resources and assets nationally and internationally.
“We intend to have a major presence at the key international exhibitions and to walk the floors of many others, focusing on potential energy companies and investors,” said James Gray, EEEZ inward investment director.
“We’re flying the flag not just for the East of England but for the UK as well. Much of the competition for the energy business is not from within our borders but across Europe and beyond. We have so much to offer – but we must get that message across to an international audience.”
For that reason, Mr Gray plans to see EEEZ strongly represented at one of the continent’s leading events, WindEnergy Hamburg, a global offshore wind exhibition in September.
It will also be prominently featured at RenewableUK Global Offshore Wind, in Glasgow, on June 11-12th.
EEEZ delegates will also take in EWEA Offshore in Barcelona on March 10-13, All Energy, Aberdeen in May, and Offshore Energy Amsterdam in October – among many others – targeting industry leaders and pressing home the region’s advantages.
Before that they will be on home soil in in March 5-6th with a stand at the SNS2014 Conference and Exhibition staged by EEEGR (the East of England Energy Group) at the Norfolk Showground, Norwich.
“The message everywhere is much the same,” said Mr Gray. “We cannot emphasise enough the region’s 50-year expertise working in the North Sea, the availability of our deepwater ports, Enterprise Zone land and experienced energy supply chain and workforce and the EEEZ’s unique public/private partnership offering a unified warm welcome as facilitator for incoming business.”
The campaign was boosted recently with news that Statoil intends to use Great Yarmouth port as base for its operations and maintenance work (O&M) on Dudgeon windfarm off Norfolk.
Press release, February 24, 2014; Image: tms-media