In Teesside, Sembcorp Energy UK is primarily known for managing Wilton International and supplying energy and utilities to their customers on the site. But this is just one part of Sembcorp’s UK activities. In fact, the company is a leading UK-wide provider of sustainable energy solutions, supporting the country's transition to Net Zero. Battery storage is one of Sembcorp’s core services - the company has a current operational portfolio of 120MWh across five sites in England. Batteries represent a critical technology in the UK’s energy transition. While renewable energy sources such as wind or solar are sustainable, they are also intermittent - the wind doesn’t blow all the time, the sun doesn’t always shine, or at least not necessarily at times of peak electricity demand.

Alkemy Capital Investments plc has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Tees Valley Lithium Ltd (TVL), has agreed the terms of a 30-year lease with Sembcorp Energy UK for its lithium hydroxide processing facility at Wilton International in Teesside. Agreeing terms for a long-term lease follows the granting of full planning permission in November and represents another significant milestone for TVL. Under the terms of an Agreement for Lease, which was signed today, TVL has an option for up to a year to enter into the agreed long-term lease, during which time it will conclude formalities with respect to financing and utilities and services. However, it is anticipated that these should be completed well in advance of the expiry of the option period.

Nova Pangaea Technologies will build their first commercial plant in Teesside, unlocking a critical pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Nova Pangaea Technologies, the cleantech business sustainably delivering low-carbon fuels and products, is pleased to announce the signing of an Exclusivity Agreement and Heads of Terms with Sembcorp Energy UK, for exclusivity over a plot at Wilton International on Teesside. The plot will be home to Nova Pangaea’s first commercial plant, NOVAONE, and new headquarters. NOVAONE will be the UK’s first second generation bioethanol facility, with construction expected to begin in early 2023.

North East England's low carbon transport manufacturing sector is growing rapidly, from electric vehicle production in Sunderland to chemicals manufacturing for batteries at sites including Wilton International, in Teesside. We talked to Paul Butler, CEO at the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), to find out how the sector is changing, and how the North East cluster is leading the way. How is the automotive sector changing as it transitions to low carbon technologies? ‘The biggest change for the automotive sector is obviously the move away from internal combustion engines (ICEs) to electric vehicles. This has been driven by legislation, meaning that by 2030 no new diesel or petrol cars can be sold in the UK. Then, by 2035, there’ll be an end to hybrid cars, which have been a useful bridging technology, whilst all new heavy goods vehicles in the UK will be zero-emission by 2040.