For the first time in its 16 show history, All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference, will be holding a conference session devoted to ‘Sustainability and Energy Efficiency in the Food & Drink Sector’.
This, like all conference sessions at the two-day annual event is free to attend for all with relevant business/professional interests – free registration for All-Energy is at www.all-energy.co.uk.
“The sessions aims to answer six key questions,” explains event director, Jonathan Heastie of organisers Reed Exhibitions:
- How can energy be both saved and used more efficiently in the food and drink sectors?
- What role does renewable energy play in food and drink production?
- Can the food industry help the Government reach desired targets for the reduction in energy use and carbon emissions?
- Will adopting the Circular Economy approach play an important role?
- What are trade associations and other key bodies doing to help this food and drink sectors take positive steps?
- How successful have companies been in meeting their energy efficiency/carbon reduction aims?
All-Energy increasingly looks at the important roles of energy efficiency, and sustainable and smart cities, as well as at renewables. The 105-minute conference session, chaired by Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, takes place on Thursday, May 5 in the Sustainable Cities Conference Theatre which is sponsored by Shepherd and Wedderburn.
Starting with the Circular Economy
The ‘Circular Economy’ will feature in presentations by Willie Fergusson, Sector Manager, Retail, Food and Drink at Zero Waste Scotland; and by Rebecca Ricketts, Senior Projects Manager at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. She will look particularly at ‘Glasgow’s approach to the Circular Economy in the food and drink sector’.
The attention will then turn to ‘Sustainable Scotch’ with Julie Hesketh-Laird, Deputy CEO and Director of Operational & Technical Affairs at the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) looking at renewable energy investment in the Scotch whisky industry, and the support that the SWA provides to member companies to help reduce energy use and emissions. Iain Lochhead, Operations Director at one of those companies – John Dewar & Sons – will then take to the lectern. His company has invested in biomass at two of its distilleries, as well as working on a range of energy and CO2 reduction measures at other sites which he will share with his audience.
In praise of renewables
Fiona Chan, Sustainability Manager at Scotland Food & Drink (SFD) will then consider ‘Low carbon opportunities for food and drink businesses’ with Alastair Macphie, Chairman of Macphie of Glenbervie, an SFD member company, explaining the achievements – both financial and from the PR point of view - of using renewable heat and power. The leading independent food ingredient manufacturer has a 1.2MW biomass woodchip boiler with the steam generated used for cooking food; and power comes from Glenbervie Wind Ltd with its two 2.3MW Enercon turbines. Naturally both heat and onshore wind are topics also covered in other sessions in the multi-stream conference which provides over 120 hours of presentations packed into the two days.
Academia has a role to play in sustainability and energy efficiency, and Suzanne Dawson, Head of Sector Relationships at Interface will be explaining how their support can be accessed, with Professor John Currie, Head of the Scottish Energy Centre at Edinburgh Napier University delivering a relevant academic case study. After the conference session Interface will be available in the All-Energy 1-2-1 Share Fair to give practical advice to all interested parties – 1-2-1 meetings can be pre-booked using the All-Energy website.
Major exhibition
In addition to ten conference streams and three ‘quick fire’ seminar theatre programmes, All-Energy 2016 features a major exhibition with up to 400 exhibiting companies showcasing products and services. These encompass all forms of renewable generation – wind (on- and offshore)+, bioenergy, geothermal, hydrogen and fuel cells, hydropower, solar, wave and tidal; as well as energy efficiency, heat (with a dedicated exhibition zone), similarly energy storage. There is also a low carbon transport zone.
The fifteen sector-specific trails around the exhibition are designed to help visitors find the exhibits of particular interest to them – for example 123 exhibitors have currently allied themselves to the onshore wind trail; 93 to the bioenergy one; 107 to the solar trail and 71 to the hydropower one.
The All-Energy website at www.all-energy.co.uk not only carries the full conference programme and exhibitor list, but also divides the exhibitors into those sector trails; as well as by exhibitor category and product category, meaning that even before reaching the show, visitors can easily determine who they specifically want to see. They can also use the All-Energy App which is free to download; and the ever-growing online “What we’re showing” preview
At the end of the day on Wednesday May 4 discussion and business can continue in a relaxed atmosphere at the Giant Networking Evening held at the Glasgow Science Centre, just a short walk from the SECC.
Strong list of supporters
All-Energy 2016 has a strong list of supporting organisations; and sponsors include Shepherd & Wedderburn; SP Energy Networks; Element Power; Centrica; Doosan; Everoze; Gaia Wind; and Green Marine.
All-Energy is held in association with the Renewable Energy Association (REA); Highlands and Islands Enterprise; Scottish Enterprise; Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and host city Glasgow. The Society for Underwater Technology is the show’s learned society patron; and once again UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), All-Energy’s ‘Key International Trade partner’, will play an active role with country briefings and 1-2-1 meeting opportunities.
A further 40 organisations including government departments, professional bodies and trade associations act as supporters of the two-day annual event.
Further information
Further information on all aspects of All-Energy is available at www.all-energy.co.uk and from all-energy@reedexpo.co.uk. All-Energy is on Twitter @AllEnergy and has Facebook and LinkedIn groups.