Recognising the champions of our region’s growing renewables sector
DESPITE A CHAOTIC YEAR, THE REGION IS STILL DEVELOPING ITS GREEN CREDENTIALS
THE shortlist for the 2020 Humber Renewables Awards can now be revealed after a year like no other saw it drop anchor in 2021. Green screens and pixel grins will be the order of the day as it goes virtual in March after the pandemic led to the postponement of the sector celebration.
But Business publisher Reach Plc’s events team is planning a standout event still, to mark the momentous progress made yet again on the Energy Estuary.
The bash comes as not one but two offshore wind farms are in construction off the Humber, while a third has just been consented.
If the long-term economic benefit of such a trio wasn’t just cause enough to raise a cheer, hydrogen’s emergence as a vital fuel on the path to Net Zero, and the platform given to the industrial decarbonisation brief has put the region front and centre of the green recovery.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and a new Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are all well aware of the area’s credentials as nationally 2020 was the greenest year on record, with all-time highs for wind and solar generation providing the longest coal-free run since the industrial revolution.
Humber business editor David Laister was joined by former Team Humber Marine Alliance chief executive Mark O’Reilly and chair of advisory board Camilla Carlbom Flinn to assess the strong entries. Winners will be revealed on Thursday, March 4, at the online event starting at 6.30pm.
It is free to attend, all you have to do is register for tickets at www.humberrenewables.com
BEST RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT OR INSTALLATION, SPONSORED BY GRIMSBY RENEWABLES PARTNERSHIP
DOGGER BANK, ARCUS CONSULTANCY SERVICES: Planning, development and consent management was provided for the huge wind farm zone off the North East coast, with onshore cable, substation and associated works in East Yorkshire and Cleveland the focus. Arcus has undertaken environmental studies and provided technical support, with the regional presence ensuring all fieldwork was unaffected by Covid-19, with subcontracting through desk study, ornithology and reporting phases.
HORNSEA ONE OFFSHORE WIND FARM – ORSTED: The 1.2GW wind farm was completed in 2020, bringing the world leading title to the Grimsby base. It raised the bar across the globe, almost doubling capacity from the previous record-holder, and gaining international media attention. The 174 7MW turbines tower 190m above more than 400 sq km of North Sea. A total of 8,000 people were inducted to work on the build.
RENEWABLES EDUCATION, SPONSORED BY MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND
MARKETING HUMBER: The Waterline Summit saw the Energy Estuary thrust into the national spotlight as it went from physical to virtual in 2020. As part of the launch a bespoke educational online citybuilding game was launched with local companies behind it, while schools and universities were brought on board both as partners and delegates. Education was a key strand as the importance of decarbonisation was championed.
RON DEARING UTC: Hull’s university technical college describes clean energy as its whole reason for existing, producing a pipeline of talented employees as it addresses the Stem skills gap while supporting the renewable industry. A total of 500 students are offered a unique curriculum featuring 100 projects, including sustainable manufacturing. 2019 saw 60 per cent of the cohort gain apprenticeships in the region, while 37 per cent took Stem degrees at university. March saw it classed as outstanding by Ofsted.
SMART ENERGY GREATER LINCOLNSHIRE PROGRAMME: The £9.2m programme is a UK first, delivered in partnership with Germany’s University of Applied Sciences. Monthly workshops for businesses to tap into have been a key feature and gateway to the support on offer in the North East Lincolnshire Council-led scheme. It also links with apprentices and education to ensure future generations are aware of the importance of efficiency and green choices.
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY/ COMMUNITY PROJECT, SPONSORED BY RWE
HFR SOLUTIONS CIC: The specialist training provider deals in prevention, preparation, response and recovery and is linked to Humberside Fire and Rescue Service. It supported Cleethorpes RNLI and Coastguard operations with a thermal image camera purchase, while pivoting during the pandemic to deliver face fit-testing of respiratory protection equipment to more than 300 frontline nurses and carers. Training taster days have also given insight into the importance of emergency response planning.
MARKETING HUMBER: A stellar line-up of high-profile figures, including Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and then Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng, addressed the Waterline Summit and the Humber sat up and listened. The week-long event gained an audience of several thousand delegates thanks to a strong engagement campaign, its interactive nature and the weaving of art, competition and entertainment into the online exhibition arena alongside the virtual auditorium.
SMART ENERGY GREATER LINCOLNSHIRE PROGRAMME: More than 2,200 businesses have been engaged with the project that aims to save 2,488 tonnes of CO2 a year, with 589 directly benefiting so far. It has also provided support to make 30 public buildings more efficient, ranging from schools and academies to leisure centres and town halls. Early results are showing some energy bills halving with the project on target, as a dedicated engagement officer turns interest into applications
EXCELLENCE IN RENEWABLE SKILLS AND TRAINING, SPONSORED BY EDS / JAMES FISHER
HFR SOLUTIONS CIC: The organisation has helped to create a highly trained, adaptable, and multiskilled workforce to support the Humber-based renewables sector as it has evolved to support the nation’s energy requirements. It has developed tailored training models for use on certain weather days including advanced rescue and enhanced first aid while offering specific client-requested projects. HFR has also invested in mobile training units, while collaborating with others in the sector.
ORSTED & ACTIVE TRAINING TEAM: A new safety leadership induction centre, Thrive, was opened at Immingham in September. Purpose-built project for Hornsea Two offshore wind farm and a legacy for the area, the £1.4m investment brings a new dimension to the sector. It sees inducted personnel engage in a day-long interactive multi-media programme designed to transform behaviours and attitudes to safety, with a hard-hitting narrative around an industrial fatality.
UNIVERSITY OF HULL: Plugging the skills gap on patch, postgraduate apprenticeships with Siemens Gamesa and the development of masters courses to meet industry demand have been key highlights. Developed with industry, strong relationships have been capitalised upon to provide rich experiences. Masters programmes take into
account specialist engineering and project management rules, where broader understanding is required. It is also behind Aura Centre for Doctoral Training, with funding for 75 scholarships running.
GREEN INNOVATION, SPONSORED BY OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY CATAPULT
GIGASTACK: Picking up the green baton where electrification isn’t feasible, hydrogen is seen as the answer for heavy industry. Gigastack is the UK’s flagship renewable hydrogen project, bringing together an ambitious consortium of Orsted, Phillips 66, ITM Power and Element Energy. Together they are demonstrating the benefits of and potential for it, highlighting the regulatory, commercial and technical challenges to be overcome, while developing a blueprint for deployment.
HUMBER ZERO: The South Bank refinery-focused carbon capture and storage project is being led by Phillips 66 and Vitol. It has the potential to remove 10 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030, with a funding pot currently targeted to take it into front end engineering and design works in 2021. A total of 2,500 jobs are highlighted in construction, while creating 200 permanent roles and safeguarding 20,000 in traditional industry.
LIFESTYLE PACKAGING: Part of Melton-based Origin Pharma Packaging, the business has brought forward BioPac, a ground-breaking formula that degrades at between 100 to 200 times faster than standard plastics. It is being pitched at the burgeoning vitamins and supplements health market, but has wider applications as single use remains a key issue to address. The technology behind it ensures it is biodegradable in landfill, compost or marine environments.
HUMBER RENEWABLES SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (UNDER 50 EMPLOYEES), SPONSORED BY ORSTED
HEAD-ON RENEWABLES: Trading as EV Chargers UK, the Hull-based business supplies and installs electric vehicle chargers, and has been continually hiring to meet demand. Having initially set out to serve the Humber by the established electricians at Head-On Group, the circles are widening, covering business and domestic needs. Solar installation and repair is also an element, while battery storage is also being prepared for by the proactive team.
LIONHEART PUBLIC AFFAIRS: The political engagement, campaigns and communication specialist roared back to life in July to serve the Humber’s decarbonisation agenda, having first been launched by Richard Royal in 2012. Vivergo’s former head of government affairs and communications won awards for his work on the introduction of E10 fuel, and went on to become energy lead for Humber LEP. He is now engaged with Equinor on Zero Carbon Humber and H2H Saltend.
MCAUSLAND TURNER LTD: After more than 125 years of trading, turnover eclipsed £2m in 2018, and now it is on target to hit £3m - underlining the ethos that history is a solid foundation of integrity and reliability upon which to continue building. From vessels that relied on wind to sail, it now represents the world’s biggest manufacturers of turbine components, providing inspection globally with new contract wins in Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.
HUMBER RENEWABLES MEDIUM/LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (50+ EMPLOYEES), SPONSORED BY WILKIN CHAPMAN
MYENERGI: The eco-smart home energy management company has gone from a standing start to more than 70 staff in five years, shipping 67,000 British-build products in that time - with the Zappi EV charger the flagship. Turnover is expected to hit £8m in the coming year, while it prepares to move to purpose-built headquarters as an exemplar company on North East Lincolnshire’s latest business park.
ORSTED: Named the world’s most sustainable company as 2020 began, it went on to fully commission the world’s largest offshore wind farm and actively pursue further uses for the electricity the sector leader produces, via the Gigastack project. It has developed a new immersive training concept for the industry while also acting as industry sponsor of the Humber Offshore Wind Cluster, building on the region’s response to the Offshore Wind Sector Deal.
UNIVERSITY OF HULL: Aura’s creation has seen a collaborative cluster formed, bringing together global leaders like Siemens Gamesa and Orsted with leading academics from Hull, Sheffield and Durham as well as non-government organisations. Since 2016, work has unlocked £30m of funding, with the physical centre opening this year, helping to accelerate low carbon projects, drive innovation and deliver clean business growth. Despite the pandemic, more than 800 visitors were welcomed in the early months.
RENEWABLES WOMAN OF THE YEAR, SPONSORED BY TRITON KNOLL
CORINNE BARRY, EDS HV / GRIMSBY RENEWABLES PARTNERSHIP: Described as a passionate and inspirational role model in multiple nominations, her efforts to link education and industry gain particular recognition. Her hugely influential business presence was commented on, so too the incredible example for women in industry she sets as a leading light in the Humber community. As a director of GRP she selflessly gives wherever required, while being a great advocate for the renewable industry.
KATIE HEDGES, CATCH: The driving force behind the push towards Net Zero in the Humber, she has pulled together key personnel across a complex energy intensive environment to present the industrial decarbonisation opportunity. A pivotal figure behind the Humber’s position, she is described as the “go-to” person for advice on all elements, be it fuel switching or carbon capture and “someone who truly has a vision for the future of the Energy Estuary”.
LAUREN MCGEE, ORSTED: Recently promoted to head of operations for Westermost Rough offshore wind farm, she joined Orsted two years ago from Centrica and supports a site team of technicians. They have recently transferred out of the warranty agreement to full operatorship, with changes implemented by her to improve maintenance scheduling that have translated into better electricity generation and availability. She also heads up the internal East Coast Community Engagement programme.
HUMBER RENEWABLES ,CHAMPION SPONSORED BY SIEMENS GAMESA
Selected by the judges, this category is not open to nominations and is revealed along with the winners on the evening.
■ For more information, visit www.humberrenewables.com.