East Yorkshire Leaders Push for Green Energy Growth While Fighting to Protect Local Bio-ethanol Jobs

Political leaders in East Yorkshire have written to the Prime Minister to try and save a local bio-ethanol plant.

East Yorkshire is seeing significant movement in its energy sector, with new government funding poised to boost renewable projects and a concerted effort by local leaders to safeguard a crucial bio-ethanol plant.

A substantial £1.6 million has been allocated from the Great British Energy Mayoral Renewals Fund to support renewable energy initiatives in the region. This funding, given to the new East Yorkshire Mayoral authority, will be divided equally between two councils, with the aim of progressing projects that are estimated to save £3.8 million over 25 years.

In East Riding of Yorkshire, two specific projects have been identified to benefit from this investment. One notable project is the South Cliff solar farm, which is designed to power a local caravan park. It has been confirmed that a Bridlington caravan park is among those set to receive green energy funding from the government. Additionally, plans include extending solar panels on East Riding Council buildings.

Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding Council, has expressed her support for the allocation, stating it is a good sum of money.

"1.6 million from the great British energy mayoral renewals fund, this funding will be split equally between the two councils to progress renewables, energy projects to safe and an estimated 3.8 million over 25 years.

In East Riding of Yorkshire, two projects have been selected. One being the South Cliff Solar Farm that powers the caravan park and also to extend solar panels on East Riding buildings"

Meanwhile, political leaders across East Yorkshire are actively campaigning to prevent the closure of the Vivergo fuels bio-ethanol plant at Saltend, which faces a significant threat from a clause in the US-UK trade deal. This clause proposes removing tariffs on bio-ethanol imports, raising concerns about the plant's future.

Consultations have begun with the more than 160 employees at Vivergo's Hull site, with all manufacturing to cease before 13 September if no funding is agreed with government according to the company.

A significant lobbying effort has been launched by local leaders, including the Leader of East Riding Council, Councillor Anne Handley, Hull City Council leader, Councillor Ross, and the East Yorkshire Mayor.

The three political leaders have written to the Prime Minister to highlight the potential impact of the trade deal on the plant.

Anne Handley says her primary concern relates to the effect on local jobs and farms within East Yorkshire.

"A significant lobbying effort was launched by both myself and Councillor Ross, along with the Mayor, to try and save the Vivergo fuels bio ethanol plant from closure.

It is threatened by a clause in the US UK trade deal, removing tariffs on bio ethanol imports.

Both leaders and the mayor have written to the Prime Minister highlighting the impact on local jobs and farms within East Yorkshire, many of which sell wheat that can't be used for milling to the plant."

In a message to Wheat Growers last month the company said:

"Vivergo Fuels is the UK’s largest bioethanol plant and the single biggest wheat tip in the country. We take feed-grade wheat and turn it into fuel ethanol and high protein animal feed, helping to decarbonise UK transport and agriculture.

We chose our location just outside of Hull in East Yorkshire so we could be in the heart of the UK’s wheat belt, and we are committed to using locally grown feed wheat wherever possible.  Since we started in 2012, we have purchased wheat from over 12,000 farms across the UK, primarily in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. At our full potential we can process over a million tonnes of wheat per year, providing an important domestic market for the wheat farming community.

Unfortunately, if there is no government intervention in the next few weeks, our plant will have to close. That is because the government has made a series of decisions that undercut UK ethanol production in favour of US imports. The most recent trade deal was the final blow.

If there is no government intervention, we will not be able to purchase any more wheat outside our current limited commercial commitments.

We are writing to you because we know this will have an impact on you, one of our suppliers. We wish we didn’t have to warn you – but it is not fair to cut all supplies with no notice. Being a good employer and being a good customer is important to us.

This is avertable. If the government provides sufficient policy certainty to us in the long term and ameliorates the effects of their decisions in the short term, we can continue to operate and expand production. But so far, they have made no commitments.

If you did wish to help us, the best thing you can do is contact your MP; write directly to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade; and also reply to this letter letting us know if you would be willing to support our conversations with government."