North Wales is major energy player

North Wales is a major energy player, Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones said ahead of the official opening of RWE Innogy’s Gwynt y Môr - the world’s second largest offshore wind farm.

With 160 turbines generating 576MW of low carbon electricity Gwynt y Môr has the capacity to power 400,000 homes, equal to a third of households in Wales.

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Anglesey Enterprise Zone boundary boost The boundaries of Anglesey Enterprise Zone are to be extended to maximise economic benefits for the region and will include a new marine renewable energy zone and the Menai Science Park site. The new sites include the West Anglesey Demonstration Zone, a 37 square kilometre of seabed off the west coast of Anglesey, and Cefn Du, the 21 hectare site in Gaerwen earmarked for the Menai Science Park (M-SParc). The announcement was made by Economy Minister Edwina Hart who hosted a meeting of the Enterprise Board chairs in North Wales. Read more Image: courtesy of Gerallt Llewelyn

Permission given for new gas-fired power station Hirwaun Power Ltd has secured consent from the Department of Energy & Climate Change for its £200m gas-fired power station project, near Aberdare, South Wales. Operating as a “peaking plant” it will provide back-up to intermittent renewable generation and create 150 construction jobs, and up to 15 permanent and skilled jobs.  Find out more

Parc Adfer Energy Recovery Facility approved Wheelabrator Technologies Inc has received consent for the Parc Adfer Energy Recovery Facility on the Deeside Industrial Park from Flintshire County Council’s Planning and Development Control Committee. Read more Businesses interested in the supply chain opportunities being unlocked by Parc Adfer, the new energy recovery facility for North Wales, are being invited to attend a Meet the Buyer event being organised by Wheelabrator Technologies at Coleg Cambria on the 20th October. Find out more  here and to register your interest to attend the event, please email here. Image - An artist impression of the Parc Adfer Energy Recovery Facility

Energy efficiency draft strategy consultation We want your views on how we could improve energy efficiency in Wales.  Welsh Government has had significant impact with its energy efficiency programme to date, and by setting out long-term direction in a first Wales Energy Efficiency Strategy, we have the opportunity to engage more widely. An energy efficiency call for evidence was held seeking the views of stakeholders and a collation of responses document sharing the results of the call for evidence has now been published. We would now like to give you the opportunity to shape the final strategy. Read more

Opportunities in marine, waste management & recycling and professional services The Energy and Environment sector in Wales is dynamic and fast moving.  To find out more about opportunities in Wales within the marine energy, waste management and professional services areas please check out our new brochures. View them here

Best in Energy & Environment Wales Do you know the exceptional people in Energy and Environment? People doing remarkable things and making a real difference? If you do, now’s your chance to put them in for the St David Awards -  the highest accolades given by Welsh Government to outstanding individuals and teams deserving  national recognition. We are especially keen for the biggest successes and movers and shakers in the Energy and Environment sector to be in the running for the St David Awards for Enterprise and Innovation & Technology. There are 7 other Award categories for Bravery, Culture, Citizenship, International, Sport and Young Person plus the First Minister’s Special Award. It’s time to get cracking - you can only nominate online until 27 October 2015 here.

RenewableUK 2015, Liverpool -  6-8 October 2015

The Welsh Government’s Energy Wales Unit will be exhibiting at the RenewableUK Annual Conference, which is the organisation’s flagship event covering onshore & offshore wind and small & medium wind systems. As part of our attendance we are looking to recruit Welsh based companies and organisations to co-exhibit alongside ourselves.

This will be RenewableUK's 37th annual conference and exhibition which will be attended by over 3,500 delegates, 200 exhibitors and 150 expert speakers.

Find out more and to register your interest complete the EOI here and return by noon Tuesday 1st September to Peter Freeth

CHP, District Heating & Cooling stakeholder event, Cardiff - 21 September 2015, 11am

Welsh Government has been working with Department for Energy and Climate Change to produce a UK National Comprehensive Assessment of potential for combined heat and power, district heating and cooling. This will compare a range of efficient heating and cooling supply options in order to identify the most resource and cost-efficient solutions to meeting heating and cooling needs.

The event will present the methodology and assumptions used to produce assessment and the preliminary results and seek stakeholder views and will include a presentation on Denmark’s experience of district heating, which is one of the most successful nations in spreading low carbon heat networks. Welsh Government is working with Danish Government representatives to see if their experience of district heating can be used to develop heat networks in Wales.

Register your interest in attending by emailing Robert Wilson.

Smart Energy Wales, SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff - 16 September 2015

A breakfast briefing highlighting advice and support for innovation from Innovate UK and SmartCymru is being held on 16 September.

The Welsh Government Energy Wales Unit and Innovation team are working with RenewableUK to deliver a 1 day programme focussed on highlighting opportunities within the smart energy, smart storage, smart grids and ultimately smart living area.

Speakers represent innovative developing businesses such as Riversimple Engineering to blue chip companies such as IBM and ARUP and also include the Energy Storage Network, Energy Technologies Institute, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and British Gas.  Key note speaker for the event is Carl Sargent AM, Minister for Natural Resources.

Find out more.

Resources Efficiency & Waste Management Solutions , NEC, Birmingham - 15-17 September 2015

RWM is Europe's premier event for resource efficiency and waste management solutions. It is the only event of its kind, covering all aspects of the waste hierarchy. In partnership with CIWM it spans each element of the industry and is shaped around the demands of this rapidly growing sector.

Welsh Government’s Energy Wales Unit is hosting 6 Wales based businesses on our stand at the event including Wheelabrator Technologies Inc, GD Environmental Ltd, Glastech Ltd, Refgas, Salvtech Ltd and Technlan Ltd and would be please to meet you to discuss your business.

Please visit us on Stand 4K10 and find out more here.

Energy Catalyst - Round 4, Life Science Hub, Cardiff -  3 November 2015

The Energy Catalyst has been Established by Innovate UK, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It provides investment and support with up to £10 million available for the third round, with further funding in the fourth round.

The Energy Catalyst is open to innovative businesses and researchers who can address the three major challenges facing the energy sector - reducing emissions, improving security of supply, reducing cost.

This event will include a limited number of slots for 2 minute pitches for the purposes of consortium building. You may register for this online and you will be emailed 2-page template for your use.

Find out more information on the Energy Catalyst event and register for the competition on Innovate UK’s competition page or KTN’s Energy Catalyst group page.

Employment in Wales at record level

Commenting on the newly released Labour Market Statistics, First Minister Carwyn Jones said:

”Today’s figures show employment in Wales at a record level as we have outperformed every other part of the UK. Over the past quarter we have seen 42,000 more people in employment in Wales, compared to falling employment for the UK over that same time.

“Unemployment in Wales has also fallen by 9,000, in contrast with increasing unemployment across the UK. Economic inactivity has continued to fall at a faster rate in Wales than across the UK as a whole, where it flat-lined.”

The Welsh Economy: in numbers published

The Welsh economy is performing reasonably well over the medium term compared to many other parts of the UK and is materially improving the well-being of citizens in Wales, according to a new website launched today.

‘Welsh Economy: in numbers’ provides a high level, easily accessible, broad picture of the Welsh economy and economic outcomes in Wales.  It brings together for the first time a rounded picture of economic performance for eight key indicators – over time and in comparison with other parts of the UK.

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Follow us on @WG_economy

You can now stay up-to-date and engage with Welsh Government’s department for Economy, Science and Transport by following us on Twitter.