Industries for the future /
Nuclear may lie at the heart of the Britain’s Energy Coast™ vision, but the central aim of the Masterplan is to build a diverse economy comprising other forms of energy technology.
In addition to nuclear, there are strong prospects of building a low-carbon economy in areas such as renewable energy by building on existing capabilities and investment and establishing new energy industries in West Cumbria. The Industries for the Future project also aims to focus on how businesses can help tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption.
Cumbria’s coast already boasts one of the biggest off-shore windfarms in Europe and is soon to welcome another at Robin Rigg on the Solway Firth. There are also oil and gas reserves and storage facilities on the southern tip of Britain’s Energy Coast™ off Barrow in Morecambe Bay. Furthermore, work carried out by Cumbria Vision and West Lakes Renaissance has already identified the huge potential for tidal energy, given West Cumbria’s mile-upon-mile of coastline. Large areas of managed woodland in West Cumbria could help establish a biomass industry for the first time in Cumbria. Meanwhile, microgeneration – such as mini wind turbines and solar panels – also holds significant promise for creating a new service industry in West Cumbria, as well as helping existing businesses, no matter what they do, to put into practice the very latest energy efficiency infrastructure.
West Cumbria also possesses an existing manufacturing and skills base that would be able to establish new energy industries, as well as support the growth of existing ones. Many skills from the nuclear sector could be transferred to other forms of energy technology, helping to create new opportunities for workers and businesses alike.
The spirit and imagination of the Energy Coast Programme has also captured interest beyond West Cumbria and we will be promoting and marketing the huge opportunities and the quality of life here to a national and, indeed, international business audience over the coming months in order to encourage much needed new investment into the area.
