South West England is set to become one of the leading providers of low carbon energy in the UK, according to a major new report.
With floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station, and an array of geothermal, hydrogen and other green fuels already deployed or in development, the Great South West - covering Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Somerset and Dorset - is at the forefront of Britain's ambitions to become Net Zero by 2050.
The Clean Energy Powerhouse Prospectus reveals that with the expansion of large-scale energy projects, the region could achieve an 800 per cent increase in low carbon generation capacity, equivalent to 11% of predicted UK generation capacity needs, by 2035.
Great South West (GSW) - the new pan-regional partnership operating alongside the Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine and Western Gateway, working to build the region's economy and prosperity - has estimated this could lead to up to 175,000 jobs and a £10billion GVA boost for the economy.
And the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Celtic Sea, met to consider the prospectus at Westminster today (Tuesday 18 July).
Professor Judith Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Plymouth, and chair of GSW's Energy Programme Board, was at the meeting and says:
"The potential of the Great South West to deliver 11% of the UK's low carbon electricity capacity by 2035 is significant. Take-off of the floating offshore wind capacity in the Celtic Sea is imminent, driven by leading research and development and industry investment. The flagship Hinkley C project confirms the ability of the area to deliver at scale, while our abundant natural resources - geothermal, tidal, wave - can deliver locally to support self-sufficiency and be scaled-up to wider net zero advantage."
The prospectus has been developed by Regen, the independent centre of energy expertise, and published by GSW.
The scale of low carbon energy activity across the Great South West is unprecedented, with 360 operational projects and another 175 in development.
The University of Plymouth is leading or involved in many of the projects in this area including the Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy Hub, and the Cornwall Floating Offshore Wind Accelerator.
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