SW works with Chinese on sustainable energy
SOUTH West businesses are working with Chinese investors and partners to become a world-leading sustainable energy innovation cluster, it has been revealed.
The region is leading on innovative renewable energy relationships with China, says a Somerset company that is assisting UK innovators to partner with Chinese companies.
Bridgwater-based Aspen Waite China UK (AWCUK) is working with the South West Business Council (SWBC), and has formed a trading partnership in China to support the development of UK innovation in the renewable energy sector.
SWBC and AWCUK are exploring initiatives whereby the UK and China can jointly develop new renewable energy concepts and convert ideas into action.
There is now a consortium of interests to develop the technology and create investments to fulfil Government policy. They wish to make a significant contribution to the important global challenge of the reduction of climate change.
AWCUK has close links with Chinese Economic Development, and with offices in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in most regions of the UK.
The company has a history of developing new sectors of cooperation, strategic partnerships for the public and private sectors.
AWCUK chief executive Darren Horne said: “The South West has an abundance of experts and innovation projects in this sector who have created many important new technologies associated with sustainable energy that have an important role to play worldwide. We’re now looking to find more innovation from the region to help the UK meet its targets to reduce carbon emissions.
“The UK Government is committed to renewable energy production with set targets including carbon neutrality by 2050. We share these mutual objectives with China, which has a similar target for 2060. Through our strategic trade partnership with SWBC and The South West China
Alliance, we’re assisting innovators who have products and concepts they would like to develop and bring to market in the low carbon sector.
“Together we are supporting the export of UK sustainable innovation. We provide those within the low carbon sector with an opportunity to expand, using our existing specialist
R&D and incubation provision. We can then also support them further with greater opportunities to capitalise on the global market.”
He added: “China’s economic development strategy partly relies on partnerships with UK innovators to meet its own growth, export and carbon neutral targets. The latter we share as a common objective as global citizens.
“Innovators and companies with innovative products within this sector in the UK are encouraged to get in touch with us to benefit from partnerships with China, which include investment, manufacturing and sustainable partnerships for mutual objectives.”
AWCUK is part of the Aspen Waite Group, which was founded in 1993 as a firm of chartered accountants offering services to corporates and individuals. The company has grown to be a UK top 100 accounting firm. The group is more recently known for being among the top UK firms for innovation and R&D. More recently with the globalisation of the Aspen Waite brand, the company has taken a leading role in the protection of the planet, focusing on specialist sectors including renewable energy and recycling technologies. Perry Lewis, head of corporate finance and leads Renew Aspen Waite’s sustainable industries’ team, said: “The low carbon sector is vital to the future of the UK as the Government wishes to power every home in the country by renewable energy by 2030.”
We are supporting the export of UK sustainable innovation DARREN HORNE