Big firms flock to Norstec network

The new network, called Norstec, was first announced by the British Prime Minister at the Clean Energy Ministerial in April and brought together around 20 companies. With its ranks more than doubled and numbers continuing to grow, the network held its first full meeting in London in October, centred around the vision and the role that norstec can play in maximising the potential of the northern seas’ abundant resources.

Norstec will communicate the scale of the opportunity and the benefits of clean energy in Europe’s northern seas to the public and the business and political spheres. Signatories will collaborate and share information to ensure that the benefits offered by vast clean energy potential in the Northern Seas are fully realised.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “I continue to be strongly supportive of the UK offshore renewables sector and am delighted to see Norstec rising from the waves. As I said when I launched this network last April, we are on the cusp of a second, clean energy revolution in the North Sea. Close collaboration between industry and government will be critical to making this happen.”

Edward Davey, the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary added, “The offshore wind industry represents a massive growth opportunity for the UK and our neighbours around the northern seas, bringing jobs and re-energising once thriving industrial heartlands on the East Coast and beyond.”

Norstec signatories include Able UK, Alstom, Areva, Balfour Beatty, The Crown Estate, David Brown Gear Systems Ltd, Deep Ocean Group, Dong Energy, EDPR, E.On, Fluor Ltd, Gamesa, Harland & Wolff, Hochtief, JDR Cables, Mainstream, Modus Seabed Intervention Ltd, Narec, National Grid, NIRAS Consulting Ltd, OGN Group & Aquind, Parsons Brinckerhoff, PMT Industries Ltd, Prysmian Group, RenewableUK, Repower, Repsol, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Power, Scottish Renewables, SeaEnergy PLC, Seajacks, Siemens, Skanska SMIT-Grontmij, South Boats, SSE, Statkraft, Statoil, TAG Energy Solutions, Tata Steel, Technip, Vattenfall, Vestas, and VSMC.