‘It’s time to unite and realise our green potential’
Picture by Tom Arran Commercial Photography
It’s time for the region to unite and realise its huge decarbonisation potential, a senior new appointment has said.
Jonathan Oxley has been appointed by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as Manager of the Humber Industrial Cluster Plan - a comprehensive roadmap for decarbonising industry in the region.
The plan is led by the Humber LEP and CATCH and is being delivered in partnership with eight private sector partner organisations - British Steel, Centrica, Drax, Equinor, National Grid Ventures, Phillips 66, SSE Thermal and VPI Immingham. It is funded by InnovateUK as part of the Government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund scheme, part of a £350m green recovery package.
The project, totalling £2.6m, will move the Humber closer to achieving large-scale decarbonisation, with businesses across the region working together to find effective and lasting solutions.
Mr Oxley worked for BP for over 20 years - including a secondment to the Energy Technologies Institute - leading national and international projects, followed by a period working with the World Energy Council.
He said: “With global attention on the potential for the Humber industry to decarbonise, now more than ever we have the incentive to work together on this ambitious programme to deliver for the businesses and people of the area, to shine a light on what can be done at a national and international level, and to play our part in tackling climate change.
“We all recognise the huge potential there is for industrial decarbonisation here in the Humber and there are lots of organisations working on their own strategies, but the Humber Cluster Plan brings all of this ambition together in one place to show how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
‘WE MUST WORK TOGETHER’: Jonathan Oxley
“This is not just the opportunity to meet our net zero ambitions and help fight climate change, but by creating a carbon neutral cluster we can also support inward investment opportunities for the Humber too, demonstrating that new businesses that choose to locate here can more readily align their operations with the UK’s net zero ambition.”
Mr Oxley’s is first appointed role at the Humber Cluster Plan. A further three roles will follow to complete the joint LEP-CATCH project team.
Richard Kendall, Executive Director of Strategic Policy and Business Development at the Humber LEP, said: “We’re very pleased to welcome Jonathan to the team as manager of this major project. Jonathan’s experience and expertise across the energy sector will be invaluable as the team work with partners across the region on the plan to make the Humber a net zero industrial cluster by 2040.”
David Talbot, CEO of CATCH, said: “There is a huge appetite for change in the Humber and a great deal of collaboration already taking place.
“We are thrilled to see Jonathan appointed as the Humber Industrial Cluster Plan Manager. His experience leading internationally renowned energy projects will support the development of our own roadmap and the team and I look forward to working with Jonathan to propel the region’s decarbonisation agenda.”
The Hull and East Yorkshire LEP will take over from the Humber LEP as lead partner on the project from April 1.