The UK Government has announced that Aberdeen will serve as the headquarters for GB Energy, a new publicly-owned company aimed at driving investment in clean, home-grown energy across the country.
Two additional sites are planned for Edinburgh and Glasgow once the company becomes operational, leveraging local skills and expertise – especially in Aberdeen, which has been described as an ‘engineering hub’ for talent in the clean energy industry.
Initially, Great British Energy will be located in Government buildings in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow while permanent bases are established.
This development marks a significant step in the government’s mission to transform the UK into a clean energy superpower. An interim Chief Executive is set to be appointed soon to lead the launch of the company and establish its Aberdeen base, alongside start-up Chair Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK.
The company – which will be owned by taxpayers – is intended to attract private investment into the UK’s clean energy sector, backed by £8.3 billion in Government funding over the current Parliament.
This move is part of broader Government plans to support clean energy initiatives in the North Sea, ensuring Aberdeen continues to serve as the de facto capital of Scotland’s clean energy market.
The decision to locate GB Energy’s headquarters in Scotland certainly makes sense given its huge potential to generate an abundance of clean energy – especially from wind – for the whole of the UK.
Scotland’s position in the middle of the storm track across the Atlantic has already meant that a large chunk of the UK’s wind infrastructure is located off the shores of Scotland, and it’s likely that the country will continue to be a popular location going forward.
With GB Energy close to the action, it should be able to both invest and attract investment in even more renewable generation in Scotland, while also keeping an eye out for opportunities elsewhere throughout the UK.
Professor John Underhill, Director of the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Energy Transition, noted, “This is fantastic news for the Aberdeen city region, the natural home for GB Energy providing as it does a wealth of knowledge and experience, a world-leading technical,?commercial and academic skills base, and the expert supply chain honed over 50 years as Europe’s energy capital that is vital for delivering the energy transition.
“The University of Aberdeen and our Centre for Energy Transition stand ready to support GB Energy’s quest to accelerate the transition. We, as part of a wider academic ecosystem including RGU and NesCol, have been on this journey with the industry and have a long history of delivering interdisciplinary research and innovative solutions that address current and future energy challenges.
“This, alongside our involvement with initiatives like the National Energy Skills Accelerator, makes us exceedingly well placed to support this new national venture and policymakers as the UK transitions to clean, sustainable energy and renewables.”