WITH the UK government committing to invest in the significant expansion of the UK electricity generating capacity from renewable sources, particularly wind, a project by the Eastern Wind Energy Group (EWEG) will create the capability amongst the region's existing manufacturing and engineering companies to design, manufacture and market components for this industry.

WITH the UK government committing to invest in the significant expansion of the UK electricity generating capacity from renewable sources, particularly wind, a project by the Eastern Wind Energy Group (EWEG) will create the capability amongst the region's existing manufacturing and engineering companies to design, manufacture and market components for this industry.

The EWEG project, instigated by the Hethel Engineering Centre's cluster development initiative, has two primary goals.

Firstly, to establish a supply chain with the capability to design, develop, test and supply components into the wind turbine market; and secondly, to give the companies within the consortium the platform to break into this growth industry and showcase their products to manufacturers worldwide.

As a result of a recent feasibility study by EWEG, the team have been working with a number of manufacturing businesses, many in the Eastern region, and have identified the core capability to supply at least 80pc of the key components for a wind turbine.

However, the majority of these businesses need to develop this core capability, gained from other industries, into the wind turbine industry by working on a project which will enable them to design, manufacture and test their components and allow them to showcase them on a working turbine.

EWEG is currently building a funding strategy for these next stages of the project by working with local partners.

Although the announcements by a number of turbine manufacturers that they intend to locate a manufacturing facility in the UK are very encouraging, there still remains a significant need for the EWEG project.

First, the EWEG team needs to work with local partners to ensure that the Eastern Region, and in particular Great Yarmouth, attracts one of these turbine manufacturers. Having a supply chain development project such as EWEG, which is unique to the UK, allows the region to differentiate itself from other locations.

Should the region attract a manufacturer, it is important that a local supply chain supports it and enables the region to capitalise.

To find out more about the EWEG project contact Peter Wortley, Project Director via email on pwortley@eweg.co.uk