Energy jobs are just the start, pledges minister

Feb 13 2009 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

EUROPE minister Caroline Flint has promised the renewable energy jobs emerging in the North East are “just the start” of a green revolution for the region.

Ms Flint predicted a strong future for the region after visiting a wind turbine centre in Blyth at which she was questioned at length over ways the European Union could free up further investment for the fledgling energy sector.

After touring the turbine testing facilities at the New and Renewable Energy Centre Ms Flint said she was confident EU rules would soon create even more employment opportunities in the North East.

The minister said: “People are really worried about their job and their home but over the last 10 years or so we have seen a huge amount of investment come into the UK because of our membership of the union. We have to look to the future and at jobs that maybe have not even been invented yet.

“And that really comes home when you are here at NaREC looking at renewables because the future is about re-skilling our economy and being able to do the jobs that are coming. The North East has really been thinking ahead of the game in terms of where we are going with renewables and climate change.”

Ms Flint said that a decision by the EU late last year to limit carbon emission across the continent had paved the way for further investment in the region.

With the UK’s green energy targets now having the full weight of the EU behind them, and the subsequent fines if they are not met, energy companies have in effect been given the expansion go-ahead that lead to more jobs.

Ms Flint said these emission targets should be seen as a “great opportunity” for jobs. She added: “It means greening our car industry and changing the way we produce goods and that’s all about new jobs. What the EU is now looking at is how is can contribute to funding research and innovation and what is the skills gap to equip workers to take up those jobs.”

NaREC has secured £8m in EU funding so far and is bidding for further cash in the latest round of European investment.

Staff are awaiting a decision on funding for the expansion of the wind turbine testing and development campus in Blyth, which would create the world’s first full-scale nacelle testing facility to put parts other than the blade through rigorous testing. NaREC boss Andrew Mill, said: “Our expansion proposals for the facility have been designed to prepare the industry for major growth in very large capacity turbines.”