Seismic Biofuels Launch at the House of Commons
North East England’s potential to become an international hub for the biofuels industry was showcased in London on 20th November to an audience of 120 influential MPs, peers, farmers and industrialists. The Region’s Strategy for Transport Biofuels, which outlines the huge opportunities for the North East to benefit from the biofuels economy, given its strong rural sector and world class chemical and petrochemical industries, was highlighted during a presentation in Westminster on key issues surrounding the use of biofuels.Organised by the North East Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC) and Northeast Biofuels (NEB) and supported by One North East, the event showcased the region’s progress in developing the infrastructure needed to supply the global market and attract major international investment.
Dari Taylor, MP for Stockton South, and other North East MPs also raised a motion in Parliament in support of the work of NEPIC and NEB in regards to the biofuels industry at the launch held in the House of Lords Terrace. Dari said: “The Process Industries in the North East are so important to the local economy and to the people of the region. I am personally proud to be working with NEPIC in helping to drive forward the strategic issues that will help grow this sector, such as skills development, investment and new technologies. All three of these elements will need to be addressed to build the Transport Biofuels industry of the future. We should congratulate the scientists and engineers working through NEPIC and NEB who are enabling these new industries to crystallise in our region.”
Nick Brown Chief Whip and Minister for the North East called on NEPIC to continue to be the voice of the industry to inform parliamentarians on the needs of the sector. Bob Coxon (above right), Chairman of NEPIC, added: “NEPIC and NEB will be presenting several papers which represent the views of both industrialists and agriculturalists on many important issues that arise around the use of Transport Biofuels. We have addressed the food and fuel argument, clearly showing that this is not the issue. The issue for us all to address is the actions we must take to provide sustainable biofuels and produce the food we need. North East England can lead on these issues, with a joined up strategy to take transport biofuels forward.”
Sir Rob Margetts, Chairman of Ensus, the company behind Europe’s largest bioethanol plant, said: “We believe we will succeed because of the integrated infrastructure we have around Teesport, underpinned by the local catchment of high-yielding farming. But significant investment and consistent Government policy is still needed to move the industry forward.”
Rounding off this successful event the John F. Seymour, Chairman of the North East Transport Fuels Strategy Board, and himself an established farmer from Stokesley, North Yorkshire, also addressed the event: “At last we are seeing common sense prevail,” he said. “It is now widely accepted that biofuels did not cause last year’s food price increases. Biofuels offer farmers a bigger market opportunity and will allow growth in crops in which we can actually lead the world, such as high starch wheat and rapeseed.”
20/Nov/2008
