“Environmental technologies are all around us... (they) have great potential to improve the environment and, at the same time, boost the competitiveness of companies.”
EU Environmental Technologies Action Plan
This quote was taken from one of the EU’s main policy papers in this area and sets out an ambitious challenge which the environmental technologies cluster has taken up.
The West Midlands region has a strong and highly competent manufacturing base that can take full advantage of new opportunities, for example the regional capability in electrical engineering is one of the strongest in the UK. There are also strong innovation assets in the region’s universities, with the capability to link effectively with business.
Strengths such as these give the region the capability to realise the worldwide potential for future growth in these markets which is reinforced by a strong partnership with UK Trade and Investment.
Achievements
• The WindSupply Project links business to the fast growing wind energy marketplace, giving new opportunities for engineering companies in the region. Companies involved include: Serck Controls Ltd, a supplier of high technology systems and Converteam Ltd, specialist electrical engineers who entered the wind energy market just three years ago and are now established as a major force in wind energy.
• The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) is a pioneering, business opportunity programme aimed at using the waste resources of its member companies as input to other businesses. Piloted in the West Midlands, NISP is now a national programme. Companies involved include John Pointon & Sons Ltd who convert animal by-products safely into substances such as fuel substitute for cement kilns. This project reduced costs, safeguarded over 160 jobs and diverted 70,000 tonnes per annum from landfill.
• The cluster has also commissioned two bio energy national technology demonstrators, the Waste to Energy plant at Ludlow and the Farming for Energy Project at Eccleshall.
Target Markets 2008 - 11
Key markets for the cluster will be those connected with energy production and waste. Both of these bring together substantial opportunity and regional capability. Particular focus will be on renewable energy, waste management, water and waste water treatment, and energy management. Principal actions will focus on:
• Supporting relevant innovation in environmental technologies and brokering knowledge transfer from Higher Education Institutes.
• Linking regional companies to very specific new markets. Promoting low carbon technologies in the region.
• Collaboration in internationalising the region through targeted overseas trade events and through inward investment.