Drax Power CEO, Andy Koss, a member of the NPP Board – chaired by George Osborne – led the work on energy for the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Prime Capabilities report. His workshops with business leaders and community leaders across the North, helped determine the best way the region’s existing energy infrastructure can be re-used and repurposed, as well as the economic opportunities associated with the transition to a low carbon future and how innovation could transform the region’s energy sector.
Andy said:
“This report sets out a clear plan showing what can be achieved using the knowledge, skills and existing energy infrastructure that we already have in the North. The region is well placed to lead the transition to provide the low carbon electricity and the flexible generation needed to ensure we maintain a stable, cost effective power system, vital for the economy to thrive.
“In the North we lead the way in existing energy technologies such as bioenergy, offshore wind and nuclear power – all vital in delivering the Government’s Industrial Strategy. And we are also taking the lead with new technologies. We want to see the development of a Northern Energy Centre of Excellence which will focus on key areas for the UK’s economy including transport, energy intensive industries as well as smart energy distribution and cyber security.
“Within the energy sector there are huge opportunities for us as a region – not just in terms of potential jobs and the economic benefits, but also the positive environmental impacts associated with decarbonisation.”
