We’re helping prevent climate change through combined heat and power solutions.
The Kyoto Protocol to prevent climate change and global warming runs out in 2012. In December 2009, government representatives from 170 countries met at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Their goal was to create a Copenhagen Protocol which continues addressing the need to limit increasing global temperatures.
In September 2009 during a summit on climate change in New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also reiterated that representatives attending the Copenhagen Conference would need to negotiate a deal to achieve ambitious emission reduction targets from industrialised countries by 2020.
With an economic recovery predicted to start after 2010, most nations will want to increase production while continuing to reduce energy consumption, emissions and costs.
So how can government representatives address increasing production needs whilst reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions?
The production of more efficient energy is crucial. One solution lies in Combined Heat and Power (CHP), a proven technology used worldwide to maximise energy production during fuel generation. Where traditionally electricity generation involves wasting a lot of low grade heat, utilising a CHP system ensures this heat is put to good use.
Europe currently generates 15% of its total electricity production via CHP, with a target of 18% to be achieved by 2010. While in the UK CHP could meet around 25% of the UK's general power needs by 2030.
In the Yorkshire and Humber region of the UK the Immingham CHP plant (also known as the Conoco Phillips Power Station) currently supplies two oil refineries with heat and power.
At the end of 2009 this £350 million plant will be expanded to reach the same electricity generating capacity as the UK's flagship nuclear power station, Sizewell B. It is estimated that the plant, which will become one of the largest and most efficient CHPs in the world with an overall efficiency of around 70%, will save over three million tonnes of CO2 per year, compared with conventional coal fired generation.
Located in an area known as the South Humber Gateway (SHG), ConocoPhillips CHP has the advantage of being situated in close proximity to one of the largest industrial deep-water ports in Europe. The area is also home to one of the UK’s busiest port complexes.
The SHG covers 1,000 hectares, provides 27% of the UK’s oil refinery capacity and is ideally placed to secure a global lead in sustainable energy production.
Nearby at the University of Hull, the Environmental Technologies Centre of Industrial Collaboration offers valuable environmental solutions through a combination of accessing the latest technology, analytical facilities and ongoing research and development. Academic institutions in the region also have an impressive track record of working closely with industry to maximise real-world research and development to drive business success.
The Yorkshire and Humber region will also boast a state-of-the-art £8.7 million Environmental Energy Technology Centre due to open in 2010, at the world-class Advanced Manufacturing Park in Sheffield. The centre will provide businesses with professional help to fully benefit from the growing worldwide green energy market.
Yorkshire and Humber offers an established workforce with unrivalled expertise to the 14,000 environmental technology specialists already based there. Environmental technology companies in the region are supported by industrial research centres and university resources offering a unique environment within which they can flourish.
As the world races to meet the challenges of climate change by developing and successfully implementing new energy production methods, Yorkshire and Humber offers real business advantages to those companies based there.
Our role is to support foreign owned businesses who wish to set up operations in the Yorkshire and Humber region of the UK. For more information on what service and support we can offer click here or to contact us now click here.