Ian Pease, business development manager at OrbisEnergy and GENERATE, says it’s time to shout about the East of England energy powerhouse.

In the East of England, we are sometimes accused of ‘hiding our light under a bushel’ – not shouting loudly enough about our incredible energy credentials and our region’s importance to UK PLC.

Instead, our energy sector operates with modesty and a quiet confidence going about its business, harnessing and competently maintaining the energy systems that provide the heat and power to keep the UK’s lights on – energy that we rely on and often take for granted.

Eastern Daily Press: Ian Pease, business development manager at OrbisEnergy and GENERATEIan Pease, business development manager at OrbisEnergy and GENERATE (Image: GENERATE)

So the information contained in GENERATE’s new energy infographic may come as a pleasant surprise to you. It offers an opportunity to cast aside that metaphorical bushel and shout about the East of England’s energy capabilities and future potential.

One statistic alone is an eye opener: By 2035 the East of England is set to boost its clean energy production by more than 175% with huge advances in offshore wind, new nuclear, hydrogen, solar and battery storage in the pipeline. When bought together, in just over 10 years our region will supply enough energy from renewable and low-carbon sources to power the equivalent of 20 million homes, or in other words 67% of the UK’s housing stock. Correction: not one, but three amazing statistics there.

Digging a bit deeper into the stats, we sometimes overlook the fact that the East of England is the UK’s largest offshore wind market. In the past 12 months alone we’ve seen a number of new wind farms granted planning consent, including Vattenfall’s Vanguard and Boreas projects and ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia ONE North and East Anglia TWO.

In total, 54% of the UK’s currently-consented offshore wind is off the coasts of the East of England. This, combined with the near 5GW of existing operational offshore wind off Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex (1,000+ turbines) and four existing wind farm extension projects in the planning pipeline, makes us unique in the UK and Europe.

Our region is also proudly home to a rich heritage of low-carbon nuclear power spanning more than 60 years, set
to continue for another 70 years. EDF’s Sizewell B power station and the site of the recently-consented Sizewell C in Suffolk will generate enough energy to power 8.3 million of the 20 million homes mentioned above.

Eastern Daily Press: GENERATE has produced an infographic that shows clean energy figures from the East of England alone could power the equivalent of 20 million UK homes by 2035GENERATE has produced an infographic that shows clean energy figures from the East of England alone could power the equivalent of 20 million UK homes by 2035 (Image: GENERATE)

And further up the coast in Norfolk, the Bacton gas terminal continues to supply 30% of the UK’s gas from a combination of 139 Southern North Sea gas installations and interconnectors that enable natural gas to flow seamlessly between the UK and mainland Europe.

The East of England is, as the recent EEEGR Southern North Sea conference endorsed, an integrated energy exemplar. Our energy mix is diverse and will continue to integrate as the UK’s energy system becomes ever more distributed, electrified, carbon-free and digitally-enabled.

But what does the clean energy evolution taking place on our doorstep mean to the communities and business who live and work in the East of England?

This is a question that resonates to the very core of GENERATE, where the overarching objective is to convert energy opportunities into business growth and new jobs by attracting investment to the East of England.

Eastern Daily Press: GENERATE has produced an infographic that shows clean energy figures from the East of England alone could power the equivalent of 20 million UK homes by 2035GENERATE has produced an infographic that shows clean energy figures from the East of England alone could power the equivalent of 20 million UK homes by 2035 (Image: GENERATE)

There’s no doubt that energy contributes to our region’s economy. The infographic highlights that there are more than 110,000 employees already working in the energy and low-carbon sectors in the East of England as well as more than 12,285 businesses. In addition, forecasts indicate a further £122 billion will be invested in clean energy in the East of England by 2050, and it’s our mission to ensure this significant investment leaves a lasting legacy of sustainable jobs and business opportunities for the people who live and work here.

As energy security and supply continues to dominate the UK’s political and social agenda, the significance of the East of England’s energy sector becomes increasingly clear to see.

Let’s no longer hide our energy under a bushel – it’s time to share the good word, be proud of the East of England’s energy accomplishments and shout (very loudly) from the rooftops about why we are the UK’s energy powerhouse.

For further information contact Ian Pease, info@generate-energy.co.uk