Energy Minister Michael Shanks has highlighted Aberdeen’s continuing importance to Britain’s energy economy after joining King Charles at the formal opening of ETZ EnergyWorks, the UK’s first dedicated low-carbon energy incubator and scale-up hub.
Shanks attended the opening of the new facility in Aberdeen on Monday, where the King met companies developing technologies for the next generation of the energy sector.
He said:
“Aberdeen has long been at the heart of Britain’s energy story.”
Shanks added that ETZ EnergyWorks would help support the innovators “powering Britain’s future”.
UK’s first dedicated low-carbon energy scale-up hub
ETZ EnergyWorks is a £10 million, 3,000-square-metre facility created by Energy Transition Zone Ltd, bp and Scottish Enterprise, with support from the UK and Scottish governments.
The hub is designed specifically for start-ups and growing businesses working in low-carbon energy, offering office, industrial and manufacturing space alongside business support and access to the region’s established energy supply chain.
The facility opened earlier this year but was formally opened by the King during his visit to the north-east of Scotland.
King meets emerging energy companies
During the visit, King Charles toured the new centre and met some of the first businesses based there, which are developing technologies for low-carbon energy markets.
He also unveiled a plaque made from leftover material used during the building’s construction.
The visit formed part of a wider programme highlighting the role of north-east Scotland in renewable energy, including visits to Peterhead and the new headquarters of Great British Energy in Aberdeen.
More investment in Aberdeen’s energy transition
ETZ EnergyWorks forms part of a much broader investment programme in the region.
Earlier this year, Scottish Enterprise and Energy Transition Zone Ltd announced a partnership worth up to £20 million, aimed at unlocking as much as £65 million of investment by 2032 in manufacturing, innovation and test facilities across Aberdeen and the north-east.
Scottish Enterprise’s first commitment under that agreement included £2.8 million towards ETZ EnergyWorks.
Shanks: Aberdeen remains central to energy policy
Shanks has repeatedly argued that Aberdeen should remain at the centre of Britain’s energy system as the country moves towards cleaner sources of power.
As Energy Minister, his portfolio includes electricity markets, renewables, nuclear, clean energy investment and the transition of the North Sea workforce.
The Government has also located Great British Energy’s headquarters in Aberdeen, with the publicly owned company announcing this week a new £750,000 partnership to support skills, training and employability across the north-east.
From oil and gas expertise to new industries
The argument behind Aberdeen’s energy transition is that decades of engineering expertise built around oil and gas can provide the skills and supply chains needed for offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and other low-carbon industries.
More than 1,000 energy companies already operate in north-east Scotland, giving the region one of the deepest energy supply chains in Europe.
For Shanks, the opening of ETZ EnergyWorks is intended to show that Aberdeen’s energy story is not ending with the transition away from fossil fuels — it is being reshaped around new technologies, investment and skilled jobs for the future.
