For Immediate Release
December 14, 2020

(ST. JOHN’S, NL) – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is leading an international business development mission to the United Kingdom to help businesses from Atlantic Canada explore opportunities in growing offshore wind energy industry.

“The livelihoods of Atlantic Canadians have always been linked to the ocean,” said Abbie Hodder, NEIA’s Manager of International Business Development, “and the skills and expertise that have been developed here are world-class and highly exportable.”

Hodder says that firms from Atlantic Canada are well positioned to participate in international offshore wind energy supply chains. “The technologies, products, and services required in offshore wind are quite similar to that which we would see in our offshore oil and gas industry – and so there are opportunities for firms in the Atlantic provinces to diversify into a new industry and into new markets.”

Hodder says NEIA’s efforts to assist firms are based on research it commissioned to better understand what types of firms could see success in the industry and how they could compete.

Related:

• REPORT – Opportunities for Atlantic Canadian firms to penetrate the offshore wind supply chain based in Europe

Momentum in the international offshore wind industry has continued to build despite the global pandemic. In the United Kingdom – already a hotbed of activity for the industry – a bold new plan is being pursued to have offshore power every home by offshore wind by 2030.

“Our Government is working to support greater international market access for more of Newfoundland and Labrador’s innovative and ambitious firms – providing businesses with the tools they need to compete and succeed in global markets,” said the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology. “The United Kingdom is an important market for us, with the recent signing of a Canada-UK Continuity Agreement ensuring our companies can take advantage of export opportunities, like those our partner NEIA is promoting.”

NEIA’s virtual mission is taking a geographic approach over the course of two weeks, with a different region being focused on each day based on the unique opportunities in each area. “The East of England is expected to see $37 billion in investment before the end of the decade, while Northern Scotland is increasingly focusing on floating technologies,” said Hodder. “Each region has unique opportunities for Atlantic Canadian firms, and through this mission we are working directly with them to help identify and pursue those opportunities.”

This virtual trade mission was made possible through the support of the Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) as part of a multi-year project to promote offshore export development initiatives.

“We’re helping businesses from Atlantic Canada build opportunities in offshore wind energy,” said the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA. “This is how we create good jobs and get to net zero by 2050.”

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the development of clean technology and the growth of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.

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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley:
kieran@neia.org

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