Northern Powerhouse powers Humber offshore wind mission to USA

A Northern Powerhouse offshore wind trade mission blows into the US this week led by Team Humber Marine Alliance in partnership with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

Northern businesses land in the eastern US on February 27 and will spend a week building on increasingly close ties established with their American counterparts.

Companies on the mission, including Atkins, Danbrit Shipping, Deep Ocean, GEV Offshore, Siemens Transmission, will meet US wind farm developers, leading supply chain companies and benefit from a offshore wind networking event at the British Embassy in Washington.

Mark O’Reilly, CEO of Team Humber Marine Alliance, said: “This mission gives an outstanding business development opportunity for local companies who are considering, or already in, the burgeoning US offshore wind power market.

“As a business development organisation we have been keenly aware of the need to amplify the business expertise on the Humber into export markets – and getting into the US market at this development stage could, hopefully, reap very real and long lasting rewards.

“Now seems is the time to do it, as US policymakers are beginning to follow the examples in Europe that have proven successful in stimulating offshore wind technological advancement, project deployment, and job creation.

“There are panels or task forces in place to engage stakeholders to identify constraints and sites for offshore wind in at least 13 states, including Massachusetts, where DONG Energy is looking to develop a 1GW offshore windfarm.”

There will be meetings with Deepwater Wind, the US developer of the Rhode Island wind farm, the first offshore wind farm in the US and DONG Energy.

Mark Robson, regional director for UKTI Yorkshire and the Humber, added: “The latest trade figures show that Yorkshire and the Humber businesses and the wider regional economy in which they operate continue to benefit greatly from exports to the US in terms of value added and the creation and retention of jobs.

“Our partnership with THMA on this key trade mission provides further evidence of us being stronger by working together for the greater good of the region. Made in Yorkshire and Made in Britain are formidable brands and an increasing number of businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber are well placed to take advantage of exporting to America.”

The US mission follows an inward mission to the UK at the end of 2015 by NovaVis and the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition (VOWC). NovaVis is mapping and connecting the US offshore renewable energy supply chain while VOWC is a trade association formed to advance, protect and encourage the development of offshore wind energy and its supply chain.

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