The Regional Perspective….

Something’s BREWing

Alasdair BrownWaste Manager

28th March 2007

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Overview

A few thoughts on climate change, the carbon agenda and business…..

A short introduction to the South West RDA

The strategic context – why is the environment so important to the RDA?

What are we doing about it…

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SWRDA

Established in 1999 to ensure the long-term economic success of the region

Delivery through the Regional Economic Strategy

Our key role is to provide the conditions in which businesses can thrive.

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SWRDA and the “RES” We are responsible for providing

regional economic leadership. We are helping to make the South

West more attractive as a place to live and work and do business

Making sure the region has the right skills among its workforce, the most innovative businesses, and a high quality environment, both physical and cultural

Regional economic performance is generally good

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But, where are we going?….. We must decouple economic and population growth from

resource use and environmental impact Current SW resource consumption

– 130,052 GWhs energy (equating to 33,768 kilotonnes of CO2 output)

– 351,224 megalitres water (1megalitre = 1 million litres)– 20.5 million tonnes of waste generated

(Ecotec 2006)

If our current ecological footprint continues into the future, the SW would need three “South West’s” worth of resources.

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The RDA’s Strategic Response RES identifies the SW environment as one of three

key economic drivers

Environmental technologies – especially energy and waste are considered priority sectors

The Environment Driver Implementation Plan (EDIP) describes how the RDA’s activity supports the driver

The RES “Great Debates”:– Securing economic growth within

environmental limits – Energy challenges

Crisis or opportunity?

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Defra’s BREW Programme £284 million over 3 years - 2005-8 Recycling of landfill tax income Partners…

– Action Sustainability (Procurement)– Envirowise – WRAP – Market Transformation Programme – Carbon Trust – National Industrial Symbiosis Programme – Environment Agency – Regional Development Agencies – Agricultural Waste – DTI Technology Programme – Business Community Reuse Fund – Pilot projects

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SWRDA’s role in BREW Coordinating Delivery of the BREW

programme at the Regional level Business Link Review Deliver regionally strategic projects Year 1- £0.5 million in 2005/6

– Support for Envision in Devon/Cornwall– Resource Efficiency mapping study

Years 2 and 3 - £2.7million– Marketing the “regional BREW offering”– Envision regional roll-out– Recycling Market Development– Fishing industry wastes– Food and Drink (including the red meat sector)– Tourism– Marine Industry– Sustainable construction (with Future Foundations) – Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

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The Renewable Energy Agency for South West of England

Funded by SWRDA Started February 2003 Aims:

– to increase the amount of high quality renewable energy projects on the ground.

– maximise the social, economic & environmental benefits to the South West from the growth of the sustainable energy industry.

Further info: www.regensw.co.uk

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Demonstrator Projects – Wave Hub Offshore electrical “socket” into which

a number of Wave Energy converter device arrays can be plugged

Construction proposed for spring 2008, with the first power generated by the end of 2008

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WAVE HUB PROJECT

Gen

Gen

Gen

33kV Circuit

Breakers

Gen

27km

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Thank you

alasdair.brown@southwestrda.org.uk01392-229346