POWER (Pushing Offshore Wind Energy Regions) is a North Sea
competence network for offshore wind energy, bringing together
sector organisations and local/regional government from leading
offshore wind energy regions, pricnipally in the East of England,
Germany and Denmark.
POWER was funded from 2004-2007 by the European Union through
the Interreg North Sea Programme. Over these three years, Suffolk
County Council (as the UK lead partner) and East of England
partners have teamed up with organisations in Germany, Denmark, the
Netherlands and Flanders. The initiative gained an excellent
reputation, having been invited to present to a large number of
seminars and conference at East of England, national and European
levels, in industry events as well as more mainstream policy
conferences. Key successes of the East of England involvement were
the establishment of a strong international offshore wind industry
network, a couple of highly successful international business
networking events, the publication of supply chain studies for
offshore wind energy and the organisation of an Offshore Wind
Master Class at Lowestoft College. An
East of England brochure
(PDF, 598Kb) of the POWER achievements was published in
September 2007. Hard copies are available from from
jai.raithatha@suffolkcc.gov.uk. Many of the POWER results are also
available on the POWER website,
http://www.offshore-power.net/
Suffolk County Council and the East of England Energy Group
(EEEGR) are involved in a European funding bid to continue the
successful work started under POWER, through a new project called
POWER CLUSTER. This new project will bring together many of the
existing POWER partners, from the UK, Germany and Denmark, with new
partners in Sweden and Norway. The project was approved in
June 2008 and is due to be launched in September 2008.
