SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTEEDA’s partnership with business: Securing prosperity and conserving the environment

If we are to preachsustainability in business,we must practice it too.Deborah Cadman, chief executive, EEDA

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The concept of ‘sustainable development’ nolonger just concerns environmentalists andcampaigners. Today, businesses large and smallunderstand the commercial sense in signing upto green principles. They know that by finding‘greener’ ways to conduct their business they canmake significant energy savings. Savings thathave an immediate impact on the bottom line.

The scale of those savings is huge. The losses to UK

industry through poor energy efficiency are enormous -

almost £7 million a day according to the Carbon Trust.

And EEDA estimates that if businesses in the East of

England worked at peak resource efficiency, they could

boost their profits by £229 million a year.

But savings are not the only commercial benefits.

The Prime Minister, addressing UK business leaders

at the Prince of Wales’ May Day Summit, which was

sponsored by EEDA, talked about a ‘technological

revolution’. That revolution is apparent across our

region, where environmental technology firms are

thriving by developing innovative ways to tackle

environmental problems. There are new and emerging

markets for products such as oil replacements, bio-

derived pharmaceuticals and adaptation technologies.

Far from being the source of the problem, businesses

are showing they can provide the solutions we need.

We are on a journey towards a low carbon future, and we’ve

got some important milestones along the way. Our region

aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by the

time we reach 2031, and we will continue to build on our

leading position for electricity generation from renewable

resources, and help business to help themselves by

improving their use of resources. But how can business

help meet these targets?

Bigger businesses are often in a position to act

independently, and many are running effective initiatives.

But when smaller businesses and start ups work together,

and in partnership with the public sector, their contribution,

as we demonstrate in this publication, is just as valuable.

Conforming to green business principles can seem costly.

A short term cost – even with a longer term promise of

savings – is not attractive to a new business already

struggling with overheads. So some businesses will need

convincing that our future prosperity can go hand in hand

with protecting our environment. Those who do adapt

need support in making changes. So those of us who

work to support companies, not just financially but

through guidance and advice, must make sure we are

doing just that.

Regional Development Agencies and the public sector in

general clearly have a big role to play; first by supporting

businesses in their efforts and second by leading the

charge in our own right. So what you’ll find here is both

a showcase of some of the best innovative work across

the region and an opportunity to turn the spotlight on

EEDA’s own practices. If we are to preach sustainability

in business, we must practice it too, and that’s something

EEDA is working very hard to do.

Deborah Cadman, chief executive, EEDA

Foreword

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Sustainable development is about livingwithin environmental limits; ensuring astrong, healthy and just society; achieving a sustainable economy; promoting goodgovernance; and using science responsibly.

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The East of England is at the heart of a newindustrial revolution: the transition to a lowcarbon economy.

The region is the driest and most low-lying region in the

country so is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

It is the only region on course to meet its target to supply

14 per cent of energy production from renewable sources

by 2010, and its future economic success is intertwined

with the $548 billion global market in environmental

goods and services.1

The region is also committed to physical growth. 508,000

new homes and 452,000 new jobs will be created in the

next thirteen years.

As you might expect, as the government agency responsible

for driving the region’s growth we have a team focused on

sustainable development issues. But our commitment does

not end there. EEDA is determined to build sustainability

into the culture of everything we do. We want to

fundamentally influence our regional partners to tackle

the biggest challenge of the 21st century; economic

growth without a rise in carbon emissions.

1 http://www.eeda.org.uk/files/Draft_RES_complete.pdf

This publication illustrates how long-term thinking

underpins everything that EEDA does; from strategic

leadership to business support, and from physical

regeneration to the promotion of enterprise and innovation.

So far the region is rising to the task. It has agreed an

ambitious target to reduce CO2 emissions by at least

60 per cent by 2031. In the interim, a reduction of 26-32

per cent has been targeted by 2020. Communities all

over the East of England are getting involved in initiatives

like the Cut your Carbon campaign. Every individual,

community and business can do something to help.

The new industrial revolution is about prosperity and

posterity – our region is ready to embrace it.

Introduction: Talking about a revolution

Taking the lead

EEDA’s role is to lead the region in the right economicdirection by using sustainable means. The RegionalEconomic Strategy (RES), on which EEDA takes a lead,is the document that sets our direction of travel. In 2008,for the first time, the RES will assess environmental aswell as economic impact. It will focus on embracing the opportunities of climate change at the same time as working to mitigate against its threats.

The RES sets out to guide the region through to 2031. It aims to

create a region that is competitive on a global scale in terms of

innovation and entrepreneurship. It sets out to maximise the East

of England’s creativity and help the region take the lead as an

efficient and low-carbon economy.

EEDA is not only the partnership that drives the RES, it has also

pulled together partnerships to deliver the change we need. EEDA

is working with the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) and

Government Office for the East of England (Go-East) to develop a joint

implementation plan for the RES. Partnership is a part of everything

we do and is a theme that runs throughout the following pages.

Like all leaders, we recognise the importance of setting a good

example when it comes to sustainable development. This is evident

in the way we practice what we preach and motivate our people to

play an active role in making us an energy efficient organisation.

It’s also demonstrated in the way we manage funding streams

from Europe and central government, to prioritise the improved

carbon efficiency of businesses in the region.

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EEDA as exemplar

EEDA contribution: Leadership, enthusiasm and determination to practicewhat we preachOutcome: Staff who are fully committed to sustainable goals and trained todeliver against them

The new regional economic strategy (RES) includes challenging targets for the region to reduce

CO2 emissions; by 60 per cent by 2031 and by up to 80 per cent by 2050. It is only right that the

Agency that leads the creation of the RES should lead the way in seeking to meet these targets. EEDA

can only be a credible champion for sustainability if its own performance mirrors the behaviour it

promotes across the region. So, EEDA takes its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously.

At the Prince of Wales May Day Business Summit on climate change in 2007, EEDA committed

to becoming carbon neutral by 2010. To achieve that goal, the Agency has calculated its own

carbon footprint and identified targets for reducing emissions. It has achieved certification

under two Environmental Management Systems; ISO14001 and the Eco-Management and

Auditing Scheme (EMAS).

Training is extremely important. EEDA’s internal communications campaign Be Green with Envi

ensures all staff understand, and work to deliver against, high environmental standards. Staff are

also engaged in a three-year programme of training and awareness raising on the importance of

sustainability and how to be more efficient with resources. A group of ‘Energy Champions’ has

been established to lead an energy reduction campaign based on a Carbon Trust Energy Review.

Johnathan Reynolds of EEDA explains: “The Energy Champions have been instrumental in

making sustainability a real talking point across EEDA’s staff and premises. Led by staff from

across the organisation, it helps us embed the principles of sustainability into everything we do.”

The volume of waste generated by the Agency is also being addressed. The region produced 22

million tonnes of waste in 2002, 12 per cent of the total generated for England, but is home to

only 11 per cent of the population. Clearly, steps must be taken to redress this imbalance,

so EEDA has put in place a zero waste policy.

Around 95 per cent of regional businesses are not based in new purpose-built offices and

therefore are not able to benefit from the latest energy efficiency and waste reduction technology.

But that’s not to say they can’t make existing premises more efficient. So, to demonstrate how

retrofitting measures can bring about major efficiency gains, EEDA has started a programme

to retrofit its own office space.

Working with Inspire East, EEDA has developed the Excellence Framework, based on the

Sustainable Communities Plan. The Framework is a whole lifecycle project management

sustainability tool and its standards underpin all the Agency’s investment decisions. Any

project that receives EEDA funding is required to use the framework to help guide and

inform projects through all stages of its development and to meet minimum standards.

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Harnessing European funding streamsEuropean Regional Development Fund

EEDA Contribution: EEDA managed contribution from the European Union: Around £89 million for the period 2007-13Outcome: Creation or safeguarding of 5,460 jobs and increase in GVA by £189 millionthrough low-carbon economic growth

Rural Development Programme for England

EEDA contribution: EEDA managed contribution from the European Union of £65 millionfor the period 2007-13Outcome: Working with partners to enhance the rural economy and rural environment

EEDA took over management of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in October 2007 and isleading the delivery of the £89 million to catalyse the region’s transition to a low carbon economy. The East ofEngland’s allocation is to be invested in the region under the EU ‘Competitiveness and Employment’ objectiveand has a nationally unique focus on the promotion of low carbon economic growth. With other contributionsthe total programme value is likely to be around £220 million. The money will be used to part fund projectsthrough to 2015 when the allocation must be used by.

Over the next eight years the fund will help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and drive the growthof the renewable energy industry; a massive shift for the East of England and one which builds on extensiveregional expertise in the exploitation of offshore oil and gas. Projects that help businesses reduce theircarbon footprint, give green technology companies better access to finance and create a supply chain forthe renewable energy industry are all likely beneficiaries from the programme.

The East of England is currently the only UK region on target to meet the ambitious EU targets on carbonemissions and renewable energy. “We want to continue to be the leading region in addressing low carbongrowth”, says David Morrall, EEDA’s international director.

EEDA is also helping sow the seeds for a thriving rural economy, thanks to the £65 million Rural DevelopmentProgramme for England (RDPE) which was launched in January 2008. "The fund is used to help ruralcommunities, including businesses, safeguard their long term economic future. It includes projects thatimprove the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and the quality of life in rural areas", says DavidSillett, rural development manager at EEDA.

RDPE places resource efficiency at its core and is vital in supporting the region's low carbon economicgrowth agenda in rural areas. It is supporting projects such as Woodfuels East, which aims to bringapproximately 20,000 hectares of sustainable woodland into productive management and create anadditional 110,000 tonnes per annum of quality woodchip for use in small-medium sized local boilers, and also projects such as Camgrain with RDPE investment in new state-of-the-art processing facilities for a 300-strong farmers' co-operative in Cambridgeshire.

RDPE funds come from both the European Union and the Department for Environment, Food and RuralAffairs (Defra). The programme is jointly delivered by EEDA, the Forestry Commission and Natural England.

David Sillett, rural development

manager, EEDA

Strategic influence on other plans and programmes

EEDA works to align the funding it receives with the efforts of others in the region. We aim to createpartnerships where possible, and given our lead on the economic plan for the region, we are able to marry upstrategic economic thinking with localskills and expertise. In areas such asplanning, skills and transport, we helppartners develop achievable strategiesthat work at a local level but fit into theoverall economic plan for the region.

The acclaimed Running the Gauntlet

competition is an example of a partnership

initiative led by EEDA. Aimed at low carbon

businesses, this investment competition

has seen some of the UK’s biggest

business players join forces with

EEDA to help kick start a host of new

ventures in the region. The ‘prize’ on

offer was up to £2 million of equity

funding. Through the competition,

entrants gained free access to an

education programme run through

nine commercial partners.

For the public EEDA has launched

the Cut Your Carbon campaign to

empower communities to reduce

their carbon emissions. For

policymakers, EEDA supports

the championing body for

sustainable development

– Sustainability East.

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Sustainability East

EEDA contribution: around £75,000 in 2007/08Outcome: Better sustainable developmentpolicy across the region

EEDA’s strategic leadership position means more

than cajoling people into making the changes needed

for sustainable development. Leadership also means

listening to others. That is why EEDA has been a

long-term supporter of Sustainability East, a network

that brings together experts to explore and develop

sustainable development policy.

Sustainability East, formerly the Sustainable

Development Round Table (SDRT) for the East of

England, celebrated its ten year anniversary this year.

For a decade the network has been a critical friend

of regional policy makers, advising on vital issues

such as water resource management, renewable

energy generation and climate change adaptation.

Its vision is one shared by many in the region – to

ensure prosperity and an enhanced quality of life

without compromising the natural resources and

environmental assets that we currently enjoy.

“Sustainability East has provided a consistent guiding

hand for the region’s sustainable development policy,

offering timely counsel, informed research and vital

expertise for the last ten years. During this time,

EEDA’s support has been critical for its continuance

and success,” says Richard Powell, chair of

Sustainability East.

The network is now turning its attention to Local

Area Agreements, how sustainable operation plans

can emerge from these, and what behavioural

changes are needed in the region to deliver

sustainable development.

Fiona Bryant, head of sustainableand rural development, EEDA

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The SmartLIFE project, which began in 2004, is a partnership across European

borders led by Cambridgeshire County Council. A network of SmartLIFE

Centres has been built in Cambridge, Hamburg and Malmö to train students

in specialist construction skills according to sustainable development

principles. The aim is to alleviate skill shortages in the construction sector

housing. The international network allows the best in training and construction

techniques to be shared internationally.

The Cambridge SmartLIFE Centre at Cambridge Regional College teaches

Innovative Methods of Construction (IMC). Given the volume of new build

developments in the region, the skills developed will be directly applicable to the

local economy. The SmartLIFE centre boasts practical facilities large enough for

students and industry to construct two full sized houses during training. The

centre is not only a valuable resource for local and regional construction

companies, who use it to train up their staff. Individuals from across the region

are also benefitting from courses in sustainable self-build techniques.

EEDA provided some of the funding necessary to get the SmartLIFE Centre

off the ground. The Agency funded state of the art technology including audio

visual, IT and telecommunications facilities.

The director and originator of SmartLIFE, David Arkell says: “EEDA has been

instrumental in creating a well networked sustainable centre that is helping

thousands of people learn essential skills. The long term impact for our

region will be both economic, as our students pursue productive careers,

and environmental, as their expertise helps mitigate against the effects

of climate change.”

The centre incorporates state of the art conference facilities. EEDA funded the

ICT and video technology necessary to beam live training demonstrations and

seminars into and from the venue. The Agency runs regular events in the

centre, which have helped to build its profile, and has worked hard to

introduce the centre to other agencies and organisations with shared

interests, such as Renewables East.

As befits a centre for sustainable construction skills, the SmartLife building is

built and run along sustainable principles. The unique design was bulit in just

ten months using IMC systems. It is well insulated and benefits from a ground

source heat pump, solar panels, underfloor heating and a wind turbine.

Around 40 per cent of the building’s energy needs are from these renewable

sources generated on site.

Cambridge SmartLIFE

EEDA contribution: £1.5 millionOutcome: By summer 2008 some 2,500 16-19 year olds have gained qualificationsin Innovative Methods of Construction (IMC) at the region’s SmartLIFE Centre

Training at Cambridge Smart Life

Delivering business support and development

EEDA is a business led organisationpassionate about the promotion ofentrepreneurship which createswealth and growth for us all. In2006/07, EEDA helped 2,476 newbusinesses get started and helped14,000 improve their performance.

As managers of Business Link we actively

advise businesses as they work towards a

low carbon economy. We are also recognised

as leaders in business resource efficiency.

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Business Link pathfinder pilot

EEDA Contribution: Diagnostic services provided by Business Link

Outcome: 1,320 small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had their

resource efficiency assessed and were provided access to business

support through a single, streamlined regional agency. 78 per cent

went on to reduce their energy use, saving an average of £728

Resource efficiency is about using only the resources you need to, be that

energy, water waste or materials. Being resource efficient not only saves

costs but also reduces the environmental impact of businesses.

In 2007, a high-level taskforce overseen by EEDA chairman Richard Ellis

and government minister John Healey MP found a confusing array of

organisations giving business support on this issue. In particular, provision

of advice and support specifically for SMEs was lacking.

Based on these findings, Business Link in the East of England embarked on

a pilot scheme to offer SMEs across the region a resource efficiency review.

Through the review process, Business Link advisers recommended how SMEs

could save money and reduce carbon emissions through efficiency measures.

Over 1,300 companies participated in the pilot. An evaluation following the

pilot showed that 78 per cent of those questioned have adopted a policy of

reduced energy use, which will have directly reduced their carbon footprint.

Among those who calculated savings in financial terms, an average of £728

was saved by each. Four companies saved over £3,000.

A range of energy saving measures were adopted by the SMEs, as June

Davenport explains:

“Some of the measures SMEs can take are very simple. By printing

documents two sided, and unplugging phone chargers when they are not

in use, office based businesses can make surprising savings. Businesses

that use motor vehicles should consider fuel efficiency when they purchase

cars and vans, and all businesses can think about the insulation of their

premises. These simple measures not only reduce the carbon footprint

of a business but also contribute directly to the bottom line.”

Based on the success of the programme, EEDA is continuing to offer

resource efficiency as part of the business link diagnostic. Further to this

EEDA also plans to launch Resource Efficiency East – a more in depth

support service for businesses seeking to improve their resource efficiency.

This programme will be accessible via Business Link and can help

companies cut their energy consumption, reduce their carbon emissions

and sharpen up their competitiveness.June Davenport, business adviser, energy and environment,

Business Link East

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The development and promotion of renewable energy is key to reducing

carbon emissions and fighting climate change. Formed in 2003,

Renewables East (RE) is an EEDA funded not-for-profit agency driving

forward the development of the renewable energy sector in the East of

England. RE provides funding, advice, information and expertise for both

professionals and members of the public who are seeking guidance on

sustainable development projects.

Anglia Easy Energy is one of the many companies to have benefited from

the work of RE. A Norwich based company which installs energy efficient

heating systems and solar water heating, Anglia Easy Energy took advantage

of the support networks provided by Renewables East (RE) to help build its

business. RE’s ability to source, group and signpost resources and expertise

helped Anglia Easy Energy in its development. Although the venture is at an

early stage, its owners are optimistic about the potential for growth.

Neil Clark of Anglia Easy Energy said: “The help and support of Renewables

East has been invaluable to the expansion of Anglia Easy Energy. Although

solar thermal systems have the potential for significant growth, without

the advice available through Renewables East, development could have

easily stagnated.”

The work of RE is wide-ranging and far-sighted. It helps companies to

evaluate and exploit market opportunity, offers technical support to renewable

industry professionals and funds success stories such as the BioRegen

project – which supports companies that transform waste into energy.

Since its inception, RE has invested EEDA funding in a number of projects.

One of the most successful has been the Championing Offshore Programme,

which has successfully secured an £18 million contract for the region to

host the UK’s largest wind farm.

Of the £1.2 million budget allocated for Renewables East in 2007/08,

EEDA contributed £800,000.

“The real success of Renewables East has been its ability to nurture projects

through the technological and logistical minefields of their infancy. Without

the funding and support of EEDA, Renewables East could not provide the

support these fledgling companies need,” says James Beal, Renewables

East managing director.

Renewables East

EEDA contribution: Helped create Renewables East

and provides ongoing funding.

Outcome: Numerous successful sustainable development projects. In 2003, when Renewables

East was formed, only 2.2 per cent of homes received electricity from renewable energy

sources. By 2008 that had risen to 9 per cent, and the prediction for 2010 is 14 per cent

James Beal, managing director,Renewables East

Enterprise and innovationA key 21st century challenge is how to prosper in a low carbon, knowledgeeconomy – and a big part of the solution is innovation. By providing specialistbusiness advice, supporting innovation networks and bringing together theacademic and business sectors, EEDA aims to foster a culture of enterpriseand innovation.

The East of England has the highest spend on research and development of any region in

the UK and as a result, we call it ‘the ideas region’. EEDA works with many inventors and

entrepreneurs to help them bring new ideas to fruition, meet their business goals and drive

the regional economy forward at the same time.

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GenDrive

EEDA contribution: £80,000Outcome: 27 jobs to be created and a world leadingproduct brought to market

Innovation and enterprise are crucial to encouraging sustainable

development, so EEDA has worked hard with engineers, academicsand businesses to make sure bright ideas realise their full potential.A case in point is renewable energy.

Although renewable energy sources offer huge possibilities, many

are hampered by practical difficulties that make them an unattractive

proposition for everyday purposes. For example, using renewable energysources such as wind turbines or solar cells to power our homes andoffices requires a small device called an inverter. This gadget allows

renewable energy sources to be compatible with the national grid. Without this, renewable energy cannot be harnessed effectively.

Cambridge based company GenDrive is currently developing the world’sfirst universal inverter, applicable to any renewable energy generatingdevice. Key to the company’s success have been an innovative designthat addresses a genuine supply chain issue and recognition thatsimplifying installation and service through one common range ofproducts significantly reduces capital and ongoing costs.

Research on the product began thanks to an initial £66,000 grant fromEEDA in April 2007, and the product is set to come to market in late 2009.The international market for a universal inverter such as GenDrive’sis predicted to be around £196 million by 2012 and the company isexpected to grow to 27 people by then. GenDrive is currently seekingpartners to distribute its inverter products across the globe.

Although the war against climate change will need to be fought onmany fronts, renewable energy generation is powerful weapon in thereduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Nigel Jakeman of GenDrive says: “In these times of escalating energycosts, generating our electricity from a locally installed renewable energydevice, such as a wind turbine or solar cell, can provide much needed

financial relief. GenDrive is helping in making this a reality by offeringa practical solution to improve the financial viability of such systems.”

“EEDA has been helpful not just in funding the research anddevelopment, but also by introducing us to a network of local playersacross the region. EEDA has played a key role at a pivotal moment inthe company’s history.”

Dr Damyn Musgrave and Dr Nigel Jakeman,directors, GenDrive

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Trident Energy

EEDA contribution: Research and development grant of £200,000Outcome: EEDA contribution helped the development of an offshore test project of Trident Energy’s technology

Offshore renewable energy systems are likely to make an

enormous contribution to the UK’s efforts to cut carbon emissions.

EEDA is determined to grasp this opportunity for economic growth

and sustainable development. It is providing financial support to

Trident Energy, an innovative company providing pioneering new

marine energy technology. The brainchild of founder and

managing director Hugh-Peter Kelly, inventor of the Tubular

Linear Motor, the company has successfully developed a unique

system for converting sea wave energy directly into electricity.

Trident’s technology, unlike most other marine renewable energy

systems, does not use any hydraulic equipment or air compression

in the generation process. This means the equipment is

significantly cheaper to construct, install and maintain than

more complex alternatives. The system, known as the Direct

Energy Conversion Method (DECM), is arguably the world’s

simplest marine renewable energy conversion system.

EEDA’s involvement in the project began in 2007. Although

laboratory tests of the technology had proved successful and

the company had secured substantial private equity, additional

finances were required to take the project to the next stage. EEDA

provided Trident Energy with a research and development grant

of £200,000 to fund an offshore trials project in the North Sea.

Trident Energy is now in the final stages of preparing for the

deployment in the North Sea of a fully functional trial rig. This will

be used to obtain performance data and operational capability

prior to the design and deployment of the company’s first full

scale commercial 1Mega Watt rig.

Hugh-Peter Kelly says, “EEDA’s grant has offered valuable

assistance at a key stage of Trident Energy’s development.”

The Trident Energy system will have a number of unique

benefits, including vastly reduced energy wastage and a small

operational footprint. Although at an early stage of development,

the simplicity and flexibility of Trident Energy’s system means

it has huge potential.

BioREGen support for Purepower

EEDA contribution: £680,000 to the BioREGenproject through Renewables EastOutcome: Many commercial successes,including Purepower, which has raised over £7 million of investment

In the UK we waste between eight and ten million tonnes

of wood each year by putting it into landfill. Purepower is an

exciting company with big plans to tackle this problem by

recovering energy as electricity and heat directly from waste.

The idea has been in the pipeline since late 2006 and by the

end of 2008, Purepower is due to produce its first watt of

energy. Thanks in part to support from Renewables East,

Purepower has attracted over £7 million in investment and

has taken on a major production plant in Huntingdonshire.

The plant will use 20,000 tonnes of waste wood a year to

generate around three Megawatts of electricity – enough

to power some 5000 homes.

Purepower is one of many regional beneficiaries from the

BioREGen project – a £680,000 three year project funded

by EEDA under the Business Resource Efficiency and

Waste (BREW) programme and delivered by Renewables

East. BioREGen looked specifically at opportunities to

generate renewable energy from material that would

otherwise go to landfill.

Renewables East is focusing on a number of different

types of waste, including wood and organic residues,

and is working to extend the use of technologies such as

anaerobic digestion for the provision of biogas (methane).

As well as making sure waste is used in the best way

possible, EEDA plays an active role in helping businesses

improve their resource efficiency. Rather than invest directly

in large projects, EEDA focuses on closing gaps in the supply

chain, providing business support, advising on planning and

regulatory issues and helping to address market failure so

that businesses can be wiser with their waste.

Adam Overfield, chief executive officer of Purepower, says:

“Purepower really appreciated the practical support and

guidance received from Renewables East throughout the

development stage of a number of its projects located in

the East of England.”

Hugh-Peter Kelly,managing director,

Trident Energy

Delivering physical regenerationand market makingThe East of England is one of the fastest growing regions in the UK. EEDA is oftenassociated with physical developments such as the Tilbury Enterprise Workshops,which provide 30,000 square feet of space for start-up and small businesses.

But our work on physical regeneration is

about more than bricks and mortar. EEDA

recognises the link between physical

developments and social and economic

prosperity. Physical developments can

trigger wider regeneration, and create

new economic hubs.

With the creation of Inspire East, our Regional

Centre of Excellence, we have seen how

sustainable design and construction

techniques can be widely adopted and

deliver low carbon regeneration.

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OrbisEnergy

EEDA contribution: £6.3 millionOutcome: State-of-the-art five storey building to house 33businesses and 160 full time jobs

The East of England invests more in research and development than any

other English region, and more than most European regions too. Over thenext decade, more than £8 billion of investment is expected in offshorerenewable energy around the East of England coastline, which will lead

to some 4,000 new job opportunities.

To ensure the region benefits from this growing market, EEDA is working to

put in place the necessary networks, supply chains and infrastructure. A keypart of the plan has been a major investment of £6.3 million in OrbisEnergy.

The pioneering new OrbisEnergy building in Lowestoft will be located at theeasternmost point of the region, but will be central to its economic future. The

building will house 33 fast-growing businesses involved in the development ofthe offshore renewables industry and create 160 full-time equivalent jobs.

Construction began in spring 2007 and the building meets some of the highestenvironmental standards. Sustainable measures include solar thermal heatingand a locally sourced woodchip biomass boiler.

Nearby ports and a well established marine engineering supply chain madeLowestoft an ideal location for OrbisEnergy. But, until now, Lowestoft hastended to rely on traditional employment sectors such as fishing, with manyof the area’s wards falling into the 20 per cent most deprived areas in theUK. With the introduction of OrbisEnergy, Lowestoft is set to profit from anew market and enter a new era. In recognition of the importance ofrenewable energy sources to the region, Lowestoft College now offerscourses in Renewable Energy and has been nationally recognised as a‘Centre of Vocational Excellence’ in its work on offshore renewables.

Partnership has been a major factor in the OrbisEnergy success story.Suffolk and Waveney local authorities have been major contributors as haveRenewables East and the Suffolk Development Agency. They all recognisethe importance of offshore renewables and the role of OrbisEnergy inhelping regenerate the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth areas.

Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES) has been appointed to manage OrbisEnergy. Rebecca Murphy, the centre co-ordinator says:

“We believe the development of OrbisEnergy will help to transform theregion by providing a vital regenerative source of jobs and investment. The work of EEDA in supporting the building’s construction has been an essential element of this development.”

Steve Clarke, development director,

offshore renewableenergy,

Renewables East

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Eco Innovation Centre, Peterborough

EEDA contribution: £300,000 grantOutcome: Premises for 30 early stage companies and support for anetwork of 2,500 environmental technology companies across the region

Thanks in part to a £300,000 grant from EEDA, the Eco Innovation Centrein Peterborough, a new enterprise hub that supports local environmental

technology businesses, opened its doors in April 2008.

The centre is the result of a partnership between the Centre for

Sustainable Engineering, Opportunity Peterborough, Peterborough CityCouncil, UK CEED and EEDA. The common aim of these organisationsis to create jobs and prosperity in the city and wider region.

Peterborough is home to 340 environmental technology businesses,

the biggest cluster of its kind in the UK. The Eco Innovation Centre

aims to foster the continued growth of that cluster by supportingcompanies in the early stages of development.

The centre can house up to 30 early stage companies at any one time.Not only do these companies enjoy flexible terms on their premises,they enjoy an unparalleled networking opportunity in which ideas can be shared with likeminded companies facing similar challenges.Companies using space in the Centre are not the only ones to benefit.A further 2,500 environmental technology companies across the regionreceive support through a virtual enterprise network.

EEDA not only provided initial funding, but plays a valuable ongoingrole. Gareth Jones, manager of the centre explains: “The centre andthe EEDA funded Business Link service work hand in hand. We providethe physical space for business incubation, and Business Link providesbusiness support workshops and surgeries to those companies.”

Within two months of opening, the centre was already half full. Bignames such as Peterborough Renewable Energy Ltd (PREL), whichseeks to manage waste in a way that eliminates the need for landfillsites, have signed up to use the centre. Other clients include CoolPlanet, a start-up specialising in heat pump technology, DesignPartners, an aspiring design company, and Renewables East, therenewable energy agency for the East of England.

Chris Williams, of PREL says: “Since we moved into the space in Maywe’ve benefited hugely from the networking opportunities. We havestruck up a strong relationship with a firm of eco designers on site and get to hear about commercial opportunities from our peers. Inturn, our first hand experience of environmental technology on theground is valuable to organisations like CSEng and UK CEED who are working to formulate environmental policies.”

Gareth Jones, manager,Eco Innovation Centre

www.eeda.org.uk

East of England Development Agency

The Business Centre, Station Road, Histon CB24 9LQ

Phone: 01223 713900

Fax: 01223 713940