The Humber Renewables Champion of 2019 has been crowned, with the recipient rewarded for her unflinching focus on helping shape the Energy Estuary.
Born in Grimsby, where her latest employer has created 400 jobs in offshore wind, Emma Toulson has been a key figure in the development of local, regional and national strategy in the green economy.
She worked in a renewables focused economic development dual role for North East Lincolnshire Council and Humber Local Enterprise Partnership before joining Orsted as Humber lead stakeholder.
Miss Toulson has now taken that to a national level - while still happily anchored in her home town where the world’s largest wind farm is emerging from - contributing to the Offshore Wind Sector Deal.
“I am so proud, absolutely blown away by it all,” she said having been recognised in front of 220 people last night at Country Park Inn, Hessle.
“It is fantastic to get the recognition for the work that we have been doing. It is not just me, I have worked with incredible partners in the public sector, with companies, kids, apprentices - it has been a real team effort, and I am just so pleased to be part of this energy revolution.
“It was great to work in the public sector and support and introduce businesses and training providers, to help them really understand the sector and how we could make the Humber so desirable to developers. Now I’m working for the biggest offshore wind company in the world, an incredible story in itself, and proud to go in to work every day.
“To be part of this fantastic growth in a new, exciting industry is incredible, and we now have lots of people working in Grimsby.”
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Her dad worked in the oil and gas industry, so the family story follows that of the sector as it goes from black to green. They left for Kent, but Emma returned to read geography in Hull.
Initially she undertook project work in the private sector, and was then seconded by her employer to public office, where she continued to flourished.
The citation, read by headline sponsor Siemens Gamesa’s operations manager Helen Villamuera, told how there are “very few people in the 海角视频, let alone the Humber, who have a more rounded knowledge of the offshore wind sector than the 2019 Humber Renewables Champion ”.
“She has laid much of the groundwork for where the Energy Estuary is today, working across the public and private sector to deliver projects, strategies and - more recently - being a key contributor in the recently published Offshore Wind Sector Deal.”
Her strong relations across the board were noted, evident from the standing ovation she received as she made her way to the stage.
Mrs Villamuera added: “Her own colleagues describe her as a ‘real Humber renewables champion’ well tonight we wholeheartedly endorse it.”
From strategic stakeholder to apprentices’ first steps, HRA 2019 also toasted Grimsby Institute’s MOET achievements. The Mechanical Operations Electrical Technician course has just seen its first apprentices go offshore with Orsted, with one even missing the ceremony as he is part of the first crew on Hornsea One.
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James Danby, Grimsby Institute’s head of engineering contracts, accepted the Excellence in Renewable Skills and Training accolade. He said: “It is fabulous to get the recognition for the college, but even better for the students. They are the reason why we have managed to win. Orsted, too, is a brilliant, supportive employer, and has supported us all the way through, having been involved in the development of the programme.”
A select course, key businesses from pillar sectors united with the provider, with 14 apprentices this year building on the initial dozen.
“It has really lifted off the ground thanks to the support of the employers,” Mr Danby said. “That’s what modern apprenticeship schemes must be about. It is not about colleges delivering what they want, it is about working with industry and giving employers what they need. This means so much to the college and what we are driving towards.”
Renewables Innovation opened the evening with Drax’s successful pilot carbon capture, which has subsequently led to a major partnership approach to realise a roll-out, celebrated.
Matt Willey, group director of external affairs at Drax, said: “Our work is all part of a bigger strategy, and the first part is people underestimate that we already supply six million homes with renewable energy.
“The next thing is taking carbon out of the atmosphere, and that is a world-first. We will take up to 16 million tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere every year.
“At the moment the whole of the Humber emits 14 million tonnes a year, so hopefully we will have two million on top of that.
“The whole country needs to go carbon neutral, but the Humber will become carbon negative. The Humber is way ahead of anywhere else.”
It takes more than its fair share of cerebral matter mind, and leading there is University of Hull and industry-backed Aura, picking up the Renewables in Education award.
The Centre for Doctoral Training being established there will see PhD students arrive in Hull in September, to support the region’s enormous renewable energy ambitions. Research will be focused on offshore wind and the low-carbon economy, and integrated engineering and the environment.
Ben George, director at Aura, said: “This award shows wonderful support from the region for an initiative which will provide game-changing leadership in the offshore wind sector.
“It is about focusing excellence in the region alongside our academic partners.
“It is really about making sure the country has the right talent to take offshore wind forwards, and that we are focusing it on the most advanced offshore wind cluster in the country.”
Across Hull, Hobson & Porter was celebrated for the flagship £14 million East Coast Hub it has brought forward for Orsted as Best Renewable Energy Project.
The operations and maintenance base is the world’s largest, built in the shadow of the Dock Tower on Royal Dock, and bringing together several wind farms under one huge roof.
Joe Booth, strategic development manager, said: “It is not often a Hull-based business gets the opportunity to be involved in a world-first, and that is what the East Coast Hub was.
“It was the biggest O&M for one of the world’s biggest renewable energy companies in Orsted, so it was massive for us.
“If you rewind the clock, Hobson & Porter had done nothing in renewables, and truth be told had no aspirations to do so. This industry was not for the land-based construction builders like us, but it has opened new doors for us in ways we would never have imagined.”
Attention switched back to the South Bank when Grimsby Renewables Partnership won the Engaging the Community Award .
From an informal group of key stakeholders in the port community welcoming the first phase of offshore wind, it has developed to a conduit for business in the sector, uniting developers with local businesses in a friendly forum.
Andy Goudie, chairman, said: “This is great recognition and testament to a business organisation run by its members for its members. We are proud of the role we are playing, ensuring Grimsby is on the map and inspiring belief and contributing to the vision of the Energy Estuary.
“We are a 100-plus member organisation, with 200 people in the network and we ran a very successful conference with 300 delegates. We are connecting industry and individuals to opportunities and jobs.”
A significant inward investor that has emerged at the front of the grid this year is James Fisher Marine Services, awarded the Medium / Large Business of the Year .
It has moved into the original new-build operations and maintenance centre on Grimsby’s North Quay - joining XceCo and Siemens Gamesa - and has won a major contract with Innogy’s Triton Knoll offshore wind farm development, to clear the 145 sq m seabed it will be built from.
Corinne Barry, business development manager, has made the area her home, having moved up from East Anglia to support the business’ integration into the town in recent years.
“We have had a fantastic year, we have great support from our host, XceCo, and the expansion wouldn’t have been possible without them. We’re going from strength-to-strength, as the big contract win with Innogy has shown. We are looking forward to working with other clients too in the years ahead with all the growth that is coming.”
Across the estuary again, but with aspirations across the pond, and GEV Group’s Sophie Marsden won the Women in Manufacturing or Engineering award.
Dedication, maturity and commitment was recognised in the 22-year-old, who joined GEV four years ago.
From administration apprentice she was promoted to the accounts team, and quickly after to project co-ordination manager, where she has excelled. She has completed the Cranfield University Improvement Project Performance Course and her auditing training and AAT qualifications, during GEV’s busiest year to date, managing disbursements of the 200 plus field workforce.
Of the accolade, cheered by many in the room, she said: “I am just speechless. It is amazing, absolutely amazing, to have won.
“The growth of the company has been amazing – it has grown from the 海角视频 to Europe and now to America as well.
“It is nice to get recognition for the work that you do, and nice to see that what you do is really appreciated. The next step for me is to help this company continue to grow in the industry.”
Growth was the watch word of the night, superbly marshalled by compere Richard Askam, who arrived fresh from a meeting with an Australian delegation looking at the Humber’s achievements with envy.
Earlier, Mark O’Reilly head judge and chairman and chief executive of Team Humber Marine Alliance, charted the growth, telling how he was approaching his 10th anniversary in post. “We have come a long way since those early days when it was very much a nascent industry,” he said.
“I had a wishlist of initiatives I hoped I would see on the Humber, and while I wasn’t 100 per cent confident, it started to happen.” Listing Green Port Hull, Triton Knoll, Hornsea Zone, Aura, Ergo and ORE Catapult, he said the estuary was now the envy of the world, and also the focus as it looks to get a 10 year head start on the 海角视频’s Net Zero plans.
On behalf of the host media organisation, Business Live publisher Reach Plc, David Laister welcomed guests. And detailing the previous week's climate change announcements, he said: “In the room tonight are businesses and organisations that will lead, shape and supply as ambition becomes reality.
“Just 12 months ago we marvelled at the first truly pan-Humber offshore wind farm’s completion, in record time.
Race Bank, with Hull’s blades, Green Port’s assembly, Grimsby operations and maintenance. Now we’re looking forward to the return of the first shift serving a part operational Hornsea One – the world’s largest wind farm with the same pan-Humber approach.
“We’ve an Offshore Wind Sector Deal, last week the Humber said Net Zero 2040 – yesterday Prime Minister Theresa May said 海角视频 Net Zero 2050 and LEP chair Lord Haskins – speaking for all of us I’m sure – wants the Humber to be the ultimate pilot project.”