An international summit has underlined the North East’s credentials as a leading hub for green energy investment.
Investors and developers from four continents gathered in Newcastle today (15 January) for a green energy and innovation summit highlighting multi-billion-pound opportunities emerging across the region.
Bringing together 270 delegates, the event was led by North East mayor Kim McGuinness in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group and the Office for Investment (MfI).
Featuring contributions from national and global organisations across finance, energy, infrastructure and innovation, the summit also included briefings on flagship development sites such as Tyne Clean Energy Park, Energy Central in Blyth, the Port of Sunderland, IAMSS and North East Investment Zone locations.
Attention centred on offshore wind and the potential for the North East to supply up to half of the UK’s energy needs on peak days while sustaining around 50,000 jobs.
Further emphasis was placed on the region’s strategic advantage following the Government’s latest offshore wind auction, which unlocked major opportunities linked to projects including Dogger South and Berwick Bank, supported by the region’s major ports on the Tyne, Wear and at Blyth.
Delegates were presented with the scale of the region’s assets, including rapid marine access to the majority of the UK’s offshore wind farms, an integrated supply chain covering manufacturing, engineering and innovation, extensive deepwater quayside, and large areas of development land ready for investment.
The summit also highlighted a £15 million programme to deliver specialist green energy training centres at Wallsend and Blyth, aimed at building a future-ready workforce.
Mayor McGuinness said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity and one we need to seize to help shape a brighter, sustainable future for our region.
“The North East can lead the UK’s green energy transition - not only by powering the nation, but by creating thousands of jobs and securing long-term investment for our communities.
“We have the assets, the skills, the infrastructure and, through our partnerships with Lloyds Banking Group and the OfI, The Crown Estate and our North East Ports, together we can turn this vision into reality.”
Further momentum was underlined by Lloyds Banking Group’s announcement that more than £1 billion of new finance would be available to North East businesses in 2026 to support growth, competitiveness and clean energy investment.
The Crown Estate’s long-term outlook for offshore wind leasing off the North East coast, potentially reaching 16GW by 2030, was also positioned as a major opportunity for regional supply chains.
Emily Cox MBE, Lloyds Banking Group ambassador for the North East, added: “Lloyds Banking Group is proud to make a £1 billion commitment to local businesses to accelerate growth across the North East.
“The North East has the capacity to deliver clean energy projects at scale – and we’re proud to back businesses big and small, from transformational developments at Newcastle Airport, the Port of Tyne and Dogger Bank, to local businesses like Holystone Civils that form the backbone of the region’s unique supply chain.”
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