AREG – celebrating 15 years, Jean Morrison – chair of AREG

November 12, 2018
AREG – celebrating 15 years, Jean Morrison – chair of AREG

The North-east has always been well positioned to capitalise on the emerging renewable energy market with our decades of experience of working in oil and gas.

Aberdeen City Council embraced this 15 years ago by recognising the opportunity for renewables. This was an industry which could contribute significantly to future energy supplies and to that of the region’s future prosperity through a new energy mix.

As a result, Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) was founded and since then, has grown to become one of the longest established and most influential renewables development organisations in the UK.

We have marked a number of significant achievements over the last 15 years, building considerable renewables momentum in the region along the way.

We have supported our members and been at the core of helping to develop projects of key economic value, resulting in hundreds of millions of pounds worth of local renewable energy activity.

Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), Scotland’s largest offshore wind test and demonstration facility, has been supported by AREG from the very start of the process.

It was quite a moment witnessing the installation of the world’s most powerful single turbine at Aberdeen Bay recently. The innovative 93.2MW 11-turbine offshore wind scheme will trial next generation technology and once operational in summer 2018, boost the industry’s drive to competitive clean power.

Hywind, the world’s first floating windfarm, is now generating power off the cost of Peterhead and we are also supporters of the large-scale Kincardine and Beatrice offshore wind projects, which are currently in development. The region is punching above its weight in renewables and we are proud to be performing a central role in the achievements that are being made.

We are partners of the award-winning Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project which has been delivered as part of efforts to create a hydrogen economy, designed to test technologies and encourage the development and wider use of hydrogen vehicles.

We have also developed and delivered a series of popular members’ events through collaboration with organisations including Scottish Renewables, Scottish Enterprise and SCDI as well as list of leading renewables companies.

To ensure the long-term prosperity of our energy-based economy and secure energy supplies for generations to come, we are using our industry experience and knowledge to create new relationships across the world. In the last month, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Business Network for Offshore Wind in the United States.

The agreement, which was signed at the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF) in Princeton, will see us collaborate in pursuit of mutual commercial, strategic and policy interests in promoting the offshore wind industry in the U.S. and the UK.

Partnerships like these will ensure the region’s global status as a forward-thinking international energy city. Here’s to the next 15 years…

Get in touch

AREG is the original energy transition organisation, working on behalf of members to empower the energy supply chain and champion its expertise. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about membership.

AREG has played an important role in the growth of Scotland’s renewable energy sector, engaging the supply chain and developing the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. However, we are only at the very beginning of the transition that AREG was established to both lead and support so there are still opportunities for companies to get into the constantly evolving renewables supply chain. We look forward to continuing our work together as renewables builds on its place as Scotland’s main source of power, and as we seek to deliver real change in the crucial areas of heat and transport.

Scottish Renewables

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with AREG since its formation. The recent progress in the developments of offshore wind projects by Equinor and Vattenfall are as a result of the work of the group over many years. The north-east is known as the oil and gas capital of Europe. At the Chamber, we believe the region must evolve its position to being recognised as the energy capital. Whilst hydrocarbons will continue to be essential in driving our economy for years to come, the generation of renewable resources will play an increasingly important role in providing cost-effective power, innovative development and economic growth.

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce

The enthusiasm and dedication of the early group that would become AREG was fundamental in us choosing to launch All-Energy in Aberdeen. The first tiny show was held in 2001, and AREG’s Chairman at the time, Jeremy Cresswell, played such an active role that I often describe him in terms such as All-Energy’s ‘midwife’. All-Energy is now the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference in terms of number of attendees, space booked, and number of exhibiting companies. As AREG became firmly established, their presence and support for the event grew spectacularly over the years. We thank them most sincerely for their invaluable input.

All-Energy

Vattenfall has forged a strong working relationship with AREG through the development of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. AREG has worked tirelessly on behalf of the North East and it can take enormous credit for the growth of sustainable energy in the region and the path it has cleared for the region to capture further investment.

Vattenfall

Aberdeen City and Shire is emerging as a key location for renewables by successfully transferring its world-class oil and gas expertise into the sector and AREG has done much to advance this through a broad range of initiatives. It has acted as a catalyst in driving further investment in the local economy by engaging with companies, Government, public bodies and existing projects and we have been pleased to support their efforts. Scottish Enterprise will continue to engage with AREG as we increase Scotland’s use of renewable energy.

Scottish Enterprise