All Energy 2009

HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS ENTERPRISE

HIE at All Energy 09 with highest ever number of firms

Issued: May 19 2009

A record number of Highlands and Islands businesses are gearing up to showcase the best of the region's talent at the UK's largest renewable energy event in Aberdeen this week. All Energy 09 is taking place on Wednesday, May 20 and Thursday, May 21 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Joining more than 350 exhibitors from across the globe at this year's  exhibition will be 45 companies from the region which is gaining international recognition for its ground-breaking renewable energy projects.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will be exhibiting alongside the other Highlands and Islands companies on the HI-energy pavilion. 

HIE will also be hosting a workshop on green data centre opportunities on Thursday morning aimed a renewable energy developers looking for alternate routes to market.

Calum Davidson, HIE's head of key sectors, who will chair the green data centre session said: "One of the key obstacles to the development of new data storage capacity is the availability of cheap, scaleable and reliable power. Conversely, a significant challenge for renewable energy developers is the availability of the grid. The objective of this session is to explore a mutually beneficial solution to these challenges.

The Highlands and Islands region has some of the world's best natural resources for renewable energy. In addition to this, the area is home to EMEC, the world's first grid-connected marine energy test centre in Orkney; the Talisman Beatrice project, the world's first deep-water offshore wind farm; and the Limpet on Islay, the world's first grid-connected wave device. 

Other ground-breaking developments can be found at: Glendoe, where the UK's largest contemporary hydro scheme is being constructed; Unst, Shetland, where the PURE Energy Centre demonstrates hydrogen fuel cell technology; and Ross-shire where Balcas is nearing completion of a biomass manufacturing plant.

Audrey MacIver, head of HIE's energy team says: "We are delighted to see a record number of Highlands and Islands companies attending this year. All Energy is the ideal place to tell the rest of the world what the Highlands and Islands has to offer in terms of renewable energy resource, infrastructure and a highly skilled local supply chain."

All Energy 2009 is on May 20 and 21 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Note to Editors:

HI-energy is the brand that was established by HIE in partnership with industry and other public sector organisations to represent the growing renewable energy industry in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. For further information, visit www.hi-energy.org.uk

The Highlands and Islands will be represented by the following companies and organisations:

Aquatera
Atmos
Balcas
BiFab
Building Research Establishment (BRE)
Bryan J Rendall (Electrical)
Caithness Chamber of Commerce
Calder Engineering
Chillwind
Community Energy Scotland
Dounreay Restoration Site Ltd
European Marine Energy Centre
Environmental Research Institute
Fathoms
Gow's Lybster Ltd
Halcrow
Highland Council
Highland Wood Energy
Highland Quality Construction Ltd
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
HiREG
International Centre for Island Technology, Heriot Watt University
Invisible Heating Systems
Morrison Construction
Mowat Technical and Design Services
New Park Management
Nicolson Engineering Services
Norscot Joinery
North Scotland Industries Group
Orkney Harbours
Orkney Islands Council
Orkney Renewable Energy Forum
Pentland Firth Marine Energy Project
Port Services Ltd
PURE Energy Centre
Scotia Automated Inspection Services
Scottish Association for Marine Science
Scrabster Harbour
Shetland Islands Council
Subsea 7
Synergie Scotland
Tocardo
Wavegen
Wick Harbour Authority
Xodus Aurora