£1.5 million grant for EA Technology’s Energy Innovation Centre

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has approved a £1.5 million grant towards the construction of EA Technology’s Energy Innovation Centre which will based in Capenhurst near Chester.

The Capenhurst Energy Innovation Centre will be a unique new facility, designed to enable start-up companies and individuals to turn innovative ideas into commercially successful products and services for the energy industry. The project will create at least 60 new jobs and 18 new business start ups over the next 5 years.
The centre will provide the environment and resources to enable members to deliver technology solutions with tangible benefits and return on investment for their customers, develop into profitable and growing independent companies and be part of an expanding community of technology innovators serving the energy sector.

Mark Hughes, Executive Director for Enterprise and Skills at the NWDA said:

“The energy sector makes an important contribution to the region’s economy, contributing approximately £5 billion and employing over 50,000 people in the Northwest. This new centre will provide crucial support and investment for new businesses looking to bring new products and processes to the market, which will help to promote the sector’s continued growth and development.

Through supporting the development of innovative new energy and environmental technologies, the centre will also help to ensure that the Northwest remains at the forefront of energy solutions as we work to tackle key issues such as climate change.”

Incubation facilities will be established at the premises of EA Technology Ltd which was originally established in 1966 as the research and development facility of the Electricity Council. Start up companies will be able to utilise specialist facilities and equipment and importantly, gain ready access to electricity network operators who will also be prospective customers for the start ups. Three electricity network operators (Electricity North West, Scottish Power and CE Electric) are project partners and will provide financial assistance to the start ups via the ‘Innovation Funding Incentive’, which is an Ofgem approved scheme for supporting innovation and research in electricity transmission and distribution.

Robert Davis, Managing Director of EA Technology said:

“This is a whole new way for the private and public sector, working together, to create something unique. The Energy Innovation Centre will become a national icon of good practice, helping accelerate new products and services to market and positioning the Northwest as a region that’s really going places. We’re great at doing business around here – and we’re great at developing new products and services, particularly in the energy sector. We expect this to be a roaring success!”

-ends-

For further information please contact Sarah Moston, Press Officer on 01925 400552 or 07810 528471 or sarah.moston@nwda.co.uk

For further information from EA Technology, please contact John Hutchinson Press & PR on 01745 583764 or 07721 619508 or john.hutchinson@eatechnology.com Website: www.eatechnology.com or Robert Davis, MD of EA Technology on 0151 347 2460 or robert.davis@eatechnology.com

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life

For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925 400259.

For further information visit www.nwda.co.uk