The Green Expo Business Conference Programme

Riverside Innovation Centre, Castle Drive, Chester CH1 1SL

2022 Conference Programme (2023 to be confirmed)

10.00 – 10.05

Opening Speech

Rt Hon. Kwasi Kwarteng MP, UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

10.05 – 10.10

Welcome

Chris Matheson, Member of Parliament for the City of Chester.

10.10 – 10.30

Keynote Speech

Rt Hon. Ed Miliband MP,  Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero

10.30 – 10.45

Climate Emergency Achievements & Opportunities in Cheshire West & Chester

Councillor Louise Gittins, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Leader of the Council

10.45 – 11.00

Climate Emergency Achievements & Opportunities in Cheshire East

Councillor Sam Corcoran, Cheshire East Council, Leader of the Council

11.00 – 11.15

Opportunities in relation to the Industrial Decarbonisation Plan

Philip Cox, Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, Chief Executive

11.15 – 11.30

Hynet Update & Progress

John Egan, Progressive Energy, North West Regional Lead

11.30 – 11.45

Decarbonising and the circular economy: a householder’s perspective

Householders will see transition happen via the electrification of transport and heat. But with 6.5 million people in fuel poverty, the challenge will be making heating homes affordable.

Garry Felgate, Chair and acting CEO Thermify and Advisor to Innovate UK

11.45 – 12.15

Speaker Panel: Society & Energy – encouraging Net Zero & Innovation

Louise Gittins, Sam Corcoran, Philip Cox, John Egan, Garry Felgate.
Chair: Steve Hughes, Chair, Chester Sustainability Forum

12.15 – 13.00

LUNCH

A chance to network, visit stands or Green Expo outside.

13.00 – 13.20

The Future of Gas in the Transition to Net Zero
Helen will be speaking about the replacement of natural gas with hydrogen and the hydrogen village trial launch in Cheshire

Helen Boyle, Cadent, Head of Regional Development (North West and West Midlands)

13.20 – 13.40

Industry: The Progress to Net Zero

Adrian Curry, Encirc, Managing Director

13.40 – 14.00

The Built Environment: Progress to Net Zero

Jane Gaston, Peel NRE, Development Director

14.00 – 14.20

Power Networks: The Progress to Net Zero

Dave Roberts, EA Technology, Commercial Director

14.20 – 14.40

Homes: Progress to Net Zero and challenge of older properties

Henry Brooks, Tatton Group, Managing Director

14.40 – 15.00

Transport: Has Hydrogen the Potential to Decarbonise Aviation?

Gareth Davis, Net Zero Consultant

15.00 – 15.25

Speaker Panel: Industry, Commerce & Energy – encouraging Net Zero & Innovation

Adrian Curry, Encirc, Managing Director
Jane Gaston, Peel NRE, Development Director
Dave Roberts, EA Technology, Commercial Director
Henry Brooks, Tatton Group, Managing Director
Steve Sankson, NatWest, Regional Director Corporate Banking & Regional Climate Lead.
Chair: Ged Barlow, Net Zero North West

15.25 – 15.40

BREAK

A further chance to network or visit stands and Green Expo outside.

15.40 – 15.55

Adaptation and Resilience: Global Problems, local solutions – The Chester Sustainable Palm Oil City Project

Dr Simon Dowell, Chester Zoo, Conservation Science & Policy Director with Jen Kelly, Head of Sustainability and Faye Sherlock, Sustainable Communities Project Officer.

15.55 – 16.10

Natural Resources: The Progress to Net Zero

Charlie Steer, Grosvenor Farms, Arable Manager &
Matt Paget CME, CNG Services, Project Manager

16.10 – 16.25

Enabling a Green Future: the Educational Challenge & Skills Gap

Dr Rebecca Collins, University of Chester, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography 

16.25 – 16.35

Enabling a Green Future: Response to the challenge of the Educational & Skills Gap

Justin Madders MP, Co-Chair of the Coalition for HyNet North West & Shadow Minister for Business and Industrial Strategy/Future of Work

16.35 – 16.55

Speaker Panel: Learning, Nurturing & Growing

Charlie Steer, Grosvenor Farms, Matt Paget, CNG Services, Dr Rebecca Collins, University of Chester, Steve Hughes, Forest City Projects, Mike Hogg, Worshipful Company of Fuellers’ Charitable Trust Fund.

Chair: Prof Eunice Simmons, Vice Chancellor, University of Chester

16.55 – 17.00

Summary & Close

Chester Youth Climate Action Network (ChesterYouthCAN) leading into the next day’s Youth Conference

2023 Exposition Sponsors