The UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference will break records when it gets under way in Aberdeen this week.
The All-Energy event on Wednesday and Thursday will feature around 370-plus exhibitors from 13 countries taking up two exhibition halls at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
More than 4,500 people have registered to attend, while there are more conference sessions and speakers than ever before.
Project director Judith Patten said: “For anyone involved with renewable energy, All-Energy is an unmissable event.
“Equally, thanks to the multi-stream conference, it provides a one-stop overview of progress, developments and policy within each renewable energy sector.
“Then there are the networking opportunities; the chance to take advantage of our jobs zone; and to go on one of the post-event technical tours. We’re looking forward to a highly stimulating, productive and enjoyable couple of days.”
All-Energy is organised by Media Generation Events in partnership with the Qatar MICE Development Institute. The event is run in association with the British Wind Energy Association, Scottish Renewables Forum and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group with Vattenfall as the principal sponsor, and Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future as host sponsor.
Miss Patten added: “Obviously our ministerial and governmental opening plenary session gets us off to a flying start with contributions from Westminster, Holyrood, Canada and Qatar, as do keynote addresses and dedicated sessions on a myriad of aspects of the renewable energy industry running throughout the conference.
“Thinking of two aspects of Aberdeen and the surrounding region – farming and the offshore industry – we have sessions devoted to the farming community; and in the final session of the conference, our audience will be hearing about the incredible opportunities that will open up to the offshore contracting industry with Round 3 offshore wind projects.”
Tim Sheehan, chief executive of the Ferguson Modular division of Inverurie-based Ferguson Group, said: “The renewables sector is going to go from strength to strength both in the UK and internationally as technological breakthroughs come to the market and investment increases.
“The Ferguson Group has already secured a number of contracts to provide accommodation units to serve offshore windfarms. All-Energy is a major opportunity for us to meet potential customers and we would hope to see direct growth as a result of exhibiting.”
Aberdeen University’s expertise in renewable energy will be highlighted.
The university will join RGU, the Energy Technology Partnership and the Scottish European Green Energy Centre in the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group pavilion.
Professor Paul Mitchell said: “All-Energy presents an ideal platform to showcase the strong and wide-ranging research and development being undertaken by Aberdeen University in the area of renewable energy.”
North-east expertise in oil and gas will help the region capitalise on the huge projected growth in offshore renewables, according to the energy division of UK law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn.
Aberdeen-based energy partner Richard Cockburn said: “Working together, our oil and gas and renewables teams have been actively helping renewables developers to adopt oil and gas solutions such as contracting structures to avoid reinventing the wheel and to minimise cost.”
