All-Energy – Expanding What It Offers

Monday, May 17, 2010

All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference, is well known for its major exhibition, comprehensive world-class conference featuring key industry players, and its Giant Networking Evening. This year the ‘offering’ has been expanded to encompass many more associated events, including those organised by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI); and the launch of the Offshore Valuation Study – which will present findings of the first full economic valuation of Britain’s offshore renewable resource.

There are also three very different sessions organised by Pushing Offshore Wind Energy Regions (POWER cluster); Education Day for teachers and career guidance specialists, and events looking at such varied interests as Korea, an international brokerage event; an assessment of the feasibility of developing a marine energy innovation centre in the Mersey Estuary; an attempt to demystify the CRC, data centres and implications for the renewables industries;  the All-Energy Careers Fair; and post-show Technical Tours organised by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (who also have a conference session ‘Offshore Wind: Grasp the Nettle – a Call to Arms to the UK Offshore Supply Chain’).

“It’s a long list, and visitors to our website at www.all-energy.co.uk can check out much of what is happening at the show,” says Project Director, Judith Patten. “With over 450 exhibiting companies from 16 countries and 270+ speakers taking part in the main conference, there is plenty for our visitors to do over the two days, so they need to plan in advance to get the most out of their time with us!”

UK Trade & Investment at All-Energy 2010 

TheUK Energy Excellence Centre at All-Energy 2010 will be formally opened at 09:00, Wednesday 19 May by UKTI’s new Sector’s Group Director, Edward Oakden - UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that helps UK based companies succeed in the global economy (see www.ukti.gov.uk).

Over 30 representatives from UKTI’s global energy team will be in attendance. The centre is where companies – both those exhibiting and those represented by visitors to the show - can find out about developments in a range of international markets and be introduced  to overseas decision makers attending All-Energy as guests of UKTI. These services are free to UK companies. For more information visit www.uktienergyevents.com/UKTIAllEnergy2010/ or visit Room 23 during All-Energy.

The UK Energy Excellence Strategy aims to provide the UK’s diverse energy offer with a single compelling voice across the globe, positioning the UK as a destination of choice for energy trade and investment. For more information on UK Energy Excellence visit www.ukenergyexcellence.com

Later in the day during the UKTI slot in the official conference programme Subsea UK and Scottish & Southern Energy will help UKTI launch the new UK Renewable Energy: Marine and Wind capability brochure. The document offers a comprehensive overview of the UK expertise in the areas of wind, wave and tidal energy, including transmission and distribution, R&D and technology and knowledge transfer. For more information on the launch visit www.all-energy.co.uk/Conference.html

Offshore Valuation Study

What is the value of Britain’s offshore renewable resource? The Offshore Valuation Group will present findings of the first full economic valuation at a conference session at 11:00 on 19 May. The 14 members of the Offshore Valuation Group are: DECC, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Crown Estate, Energy Technologies Institute, SSE, E.ON, RWE Innogy, Mainstream Renewable Power, RES, DONG Energy, Statoil, Vestas & PIRC. The analysis is undertaken by Boston Consulting Group and coordinated by Public Interest Research Centre (PIRC).

AREG involvement

Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are behind the largest pavilion in the show, which is organised by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG). AREG have also organised two post-show Technical Tours (morning of 21 May)  – one, with offshore safety in mind, goes to Petrofac; and the other comprises visits to Arbuthnotts and Neptune Deeptech, two companies that have certainly risen to the opportunities offered by two very different sides of the  renewable energy sector. AREG has also organised a highly topical conference session ‘Offshore Wind: Grasp the Nettle – a Call to Arms to the UK Offshore Supply Chain’ in the main All-Energy conference – a message that runs through several sessions at All-Energy 2010.

Pushing Offshore Wind Energy Regions (POWER cluster)

one of the sessions for 2010 will present the Mid Term of POWER cluster (Pushing Offshore Wind Energy Regions) report. 18 partners from six countries; Germany, the UK, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have combined through the POWER cluster project, which is funded 50% by the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme. The total project budget amounts to almost 5 million EURO (2.5 million EURO ERDF). By 2011 their work will help show how European co-operation to deliver offshore wind energy could lead to the Southern North Sea becoming a global centre of excellence.

For busy people, with busy diaries, the opportunity to share common themes at a common location is a match made in heaven. POWER cluster will present their work on public awareness, sharing good operational practice between oil and gas and offshore wind, skills development and networking. And being embedded as a core element of All-Energy 2010, it supports the primary business driver of any such event; turning "Contacts to Contracts".

Direct industry involvement is essential to achieve the objectives of the project. Learning from the oil and gas industry is seen as a critical commercial advantage in a global industry. POWER cluster has organised the inaugural "Contacts to Contracts" forum allowing All-Energy delegates to pre-book specific strategic meetings with European businesses colleagues. This will support the offshore wind industry and contribute to developing a strong business focused offshore wind energy cluster around the North Sea. The POWER cluster will also be holding a Skills Arena at All-Energy.

Education Day

Teachers and career guidance specialists from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire will gather on 20 May for the inaugural All-Energy Education Day. This is organised by The Energy Institute, Society of Petroleum Engineers and the education departments of the two Councils. The day comprises an overall briefing session for the teachers/ careers experts; the opportunity for them to visit the exhibition; themed ‘round tables; with experts on particular topics providing information and answering questions; and a final debrief session when both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire education experts will soak up feedback.

Very different topics

Many organisations book rooms to hold meetings in during the course of All-Energy. At least three are open to all attendees at the show – the International Brokerage Event organised by Enterprise Europe Scotland, in partnership with SDI, which has allowed companies to book 30-minute meetings in advance of the brokerage event through an online catalogue and booking system, is one of the three.

‘Finding R&D collaboration opportunities between UK and Korea companies/ institutions/ universities in renewable energy areas’ a seminar organised by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) and the Uk Embassy Seoul, Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is the second event open to all. The first session (on 19 May) will look at the wind and marine sector; and the second at other renewables.

The third is the Mersey Marine Energy Innovation Centre workshop, which will summarise the findings of a feasibility study of developing a marine energy innovation centre in the Mersey Estuary, and seek feedback and input from stakeholders.

A fourth event, scheduled to take place the afternoon before All-Energy opens is already fully booked. This is the EG&S KTN and RenewableUK Wave and Tidal Workshop. It will be followed by RenewableUK Connect – a networking event being held in the City Centre.

What about “green data centres”?

One conference session, championed by is Roland Chaplain, who has been involved in setting up the 'Digital Age Lifestyles Working Group', part of a proposed inter-universities collaborative project, based at the Crichton University, Dumfries, aims to demystify the CRC, data centres and implications for the renewables industries.

Three large data centres now have, or expect shortly to have, planning permission along the M8/M74 corridor. Others are being proposed in Grampian and Highland regions. Potential future energy demand could run into several GW. All seek to have authentic dedicated sources of renewable energy as soon as possible. All are trying to attract major (often international) players who potentially could invest into hastening the development of Scotland’s renewables potential. The whole process has been hit recently by data industry alarm and uncertainty surrounding CRC legislation. The session aims to explain and reassure about how CRC legislation, Climate Change Levy, etc will be implemented

All-Energy Careers Fair

The All-Energy Careers Fair looks at the ‘here and now’ requirements of organisations currently working in the industry, or recruiting for it. The Fair also incorporates the ever-popular Jobs Zone where job hunters can post their CVs and current vacancies are on display.

All “at-show” events are, like the exhibition, conference and Giant Networking Evening, free of charge to attend for all with a business/professional interest in renewable energy.  Registration for All-Energy is at www.all-energy.co.uk where there is full information on all aspects of the two day show.

Vattenfall is the show’s principal sponsor which is held in association with RenewableUK (formerly BWEA), Scottish Renewables, UK Trade & Investment, and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. The Society for Underwater Technology is its learned society patron, and there are some 30 endorsing organisations including government departments, RDAs and trade associations.

Notes to Editors:

• Press registration is at https://www.blaxx.net/2010/alle10/press/ and further press information at www.all-energy.co.uk/Press.html
• Need a pdf or Word version of the conference programme? Ask Judith Patten
• Need a “who’s showing what” preview? Again, ask Judith Patten for it in a Word version
• How else can we help? Just put us to the test!

Further press information from Judith Patten judithpatten@wwmail.co.uk and at +44 (0)20 8241 1912.

Source: All-Energy