Bring green jobs to the Tyne
19.12.2007
South Tyneside Green Party has called on the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform John Hutton to ensure firm support for offshore renewable energy projects, after Mr Hutton's November announcement of plans to build up to 7,000 offshore wind turbines.
Bryan Atkinson, Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Jarrow, has written a letter to Mr Hutton, asking him for "policies that will encourage and drive" the wind turbine proposals.
Mr Atkinson also called for the "renaissance" of engineering of the Tyne in developing renewable generating units, and urged Mr Hutton to "ensure that a large proportion of these wind turbines are manufactured in North East England, especially those that would be situated in the North Sea."
Bryan Atkinson said,
"Renewable energy is the only way towards zero-carbon energy, and wind can provide a significant part of the renewable energy mix. I wrote to Mr Hutton because I feel strongly about the issue, and that as well as providing the nation with clean carbon-free energy, it can also provide an opportunity to kick-start manufacturing in renewable energy in the region.
"We have world-class marine engineering skills on the Tyne and we are ideally geographically positioned for the transport of the turbines to offshore east coast sites.
"Renewable energy not only has the potential to protect the environment, but could also help drive the future prosperity of the North East."
Open letter to Mr Hutton attached.