With living costs continuously rising, sustainable energy solutions are becoming important. This also means innovation in the renewable energy sector is becoming a priority for the manufacturing industry.
The Greater Lincolnshire manufacturing sector has always been a prominent part of our county’s heritage. These traditional strengths, along with exciting upcoming developments in our region, could lead to unprecedented growth in the energy sector.
There are already exciting things happening in our region, including the multi-million-pound Triton Knoll Offshore Windfarm development to serve the offshore wind industry, situated on the south bank of the Humber. Once fully operational, it is expected to create between 4,000 and 10,000 jobs.
The development will unlock the economic potential of the Humber estuary, and in turn, help to stimulate growth in North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire. It will be the largest Enterprise Zone in the UK and will position the area as one of the major hubs for the renewables sector in the country. While there is a direct benefit to the Humber region, we believe the associated benefits will also be felt further down in Lincolnshire, whether it comes through businesses accessing the student pool from the University of Lincoln or becoming part of the supply chain.
Another renewable energy initiative includes the multi-million-pound Energy from Waste plant at North Hykeham, which is in the early stages of construction. The idea is to convert general household refuse in the purpose-built facility into energy that can be pumped into the National Grid, freeing up landfill space and powering homes and businesses.
