‘The visit reinforced to me that what is being planned here in the Humber is echoing around the world’
The Humber Energy Board’s Dr Iain Harris, third left, with delegates from the UK and Taiwan during a bilateral programme of events in Taiwan focused on energy and industrial decarbonisation.(Image: Humber Energy Board)
The Humber region has been hailed as a pioneering industrial cluster at a major event in Asia. Energy leaders from the region jetted to Taiwan for a programme of events designed to highlight investments and technologies which can decarbonise industry, create skilled jobs and drive growth.
Humber Energy Board managing director Dr Iain Harris was part of the UK delegation to Taiwan where he presented the region’s compelling proposition as a world-leading cluster for energy and low carbon technologies . The Humber region was highlighted in the Industrial Decarbonisation Workshop as a pioneering industrial cluster, and praised for its scale of ambition, investment potential and collaborative approach to the challenges of decarbonisation.
Conversations focused on the major investments in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage which can support the Humber’s economic future. The region’s established conventional power generation and successful offshore wind energy sectors were also recognised.
As part of the visit, Dr Harris joined delegates at CPC Corporation, a state-owned company at the core of Taiwan’s petrochemicals industry. CPC Corporation, like Humber, is progressing development of carbon capture and storage technology, which is expected to store approximately 100,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
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He said industrial clusters such as the Humber and Taiwan have the potential to become exporters of knowledge, skills and technologies as countries around the world make their own transitions to renewable energy.
Dr Harris said: “The visit reinforced to me that what is being planned here in the Humber is echoing around the world, and that the projects and leadership of our world-class companies are internationally recognised. A key takeaway for me was how many of the underlying challenges we face in the Humber are shared in Taiwan. We face many of the same questions around industrial decarbonisation, investment and market development.
“There was a strong sense that Government support and getting business models right is critical, while industry must continue to collaborate, innovate and support supply chain growth.
“I’d like to thank the British Office Taipei and Taiwan’s Ministry of Environment for the invitation, for hosting, and for putting together an excellent programme, with thoughtful discussion and much to reflect on.”
Dr Harris visited Taiwan to represent the membership of the Humber Energy Board (HEB), which comprises 16 major businesses critical to the region’s energy transition and industrial future. In January, HEB wrote a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – co-signed by 30 leading businesses and organisations – which called on Government to ‘re-energise the Humber’ in 2026 to unlock transformational investments in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage infrastructure.
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