From industry to ecology

The North West, former home to much of the industry that drove the industrial revolution, has recently announced a variety of measures, working on multiple levels, to secure the regions future as a forward-looking, low carbon economy that is devoted to a sustainable future.

Key incentives towards a green future are being driven by various organisations in the region. In May 2009, the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) established a Carbon Challenge Fund with a £2m budget to be made available to environmental projects and developing new technologies.

 So far, the fund has allocated around a quarter of its resources to exciting environmental projects. One project to benefit from funding is Water Power Enterprises. Also known as H2oPE, the group were granted £100,000 towards the cost of establishing a community-owned micro-hydro-electricity scheme in Otterspool, Stockport. The project will make use of the abundant water resources and river weirs to create one of three community hydro sites.

These sites will eventually become a social enterprise for local communities to take ownership of and manage their own renewable electricity source. Expected to deliver 81.25 tonnes of CO2 savings each year, Otterspool is forecasted to generate 190MW an hour – or enough to power over 40 homes in the area. The funds generated from the project will also provide sustainable grant stream for other environmental projects in the area.

The region is also cultivating larger sustainabillity projects. Spanish paper and packaging group SAICA has chosen to invest £290m in building one of the world’s most advanced recycled paper mills in Trafford, near Manchester. The development will create up to 200 jobs. And, as some of the UK’s paper recycling is currently outsourced to countries such as France, the mill will also help cut the amount of CO2 emitted through the long distance transportation of recyclable waste. 

The decision has attracted much praise. Business secretary, Lord Mandelson, commented on the development: “Both the scale and the nature of this investment make it a great win for both the North West and the UK, the number one destination for inward investment in Europe. This shows great confidence in our economic future and has all the right ingredients. It is a long-term commitment in environmental technology which will be central to the UK’s growth strategy. I congratulate the company and wish them every success.”

Future developments for the region are also currently being planned, with proposals for Cumbria to make a substantial contribution towards Britain’s renewable energy targets as well as create thousands of new skilled jobs. As outlined in the report The Scope for Renewable Energy in Cumbria, by environmental scientist Sir Martin Holdgate, targeted investment could see the county meet a third of its total energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. This would then double by 2050 to the point where the county could become a significant exporter of renewable energy with 5.5GW of installed capacity.

Such future aspirations focus on an innovative mix of wind, hydro, tidal, solar, geothermal and biomass energy solutions both from large scale projects and smaller innitiatives accessible to communities and individual households. Most importantly, these impressive energy figures could be achieved without damaging Cumbria’s prized landscape.

The clear focus across the region on environmental projects, from the macro to the micro level, sets the North West in good stead for the future. Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA said: “England’s North West is the leading region for energy and climate change, providing leadership on key issues, engaging directly with businesses and communities. Renewables such as wind energy, tidal energy, biomass, biofuels and nuclear are some of the most important energy sources for the region. By harnessing these sources, the North West will continue to successfully adapt to climate change and mitigate further damage to the environment.”

For details of the environmental developments and funding in the North West visit: nwda.co.uk