Net Zero Exchange visit to Malaysia and Singapore to showcase Northern Ireland as a key player in the Green Economy

Pictured (L-R) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are Professor David Rooney, Queen's University Belfast; Rachel Sankannawar, Head of Green Economy Development, Invest Northern Ireland; Emmet Lagan, Director, Lagan Energy Engineering Ltd; Roger Henderson, Network Investment Director, NIE Networks.

This week a Northern Ireland Net Zero Exchange mission, led by Invest Northern Ireland, is visiting Malaysia and Singapore to highlight the expertise and technological advancements that have made Northern Ireland an important player in green manufacturing and innovation. 

Ten companies and eight stakeholders are taking part in the five-day mission, which will focus on three sub-sectors of the green economy: clean water, hydrogen and alternative fuels, and decarbonisation. The participants who span government, academia and business will get the opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities to their counterparts in Malaysia and Singapore and explore potential synergies which could lead to trade, investment and collaboration opportunities. 

Welcoming the mission, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: “My economic vision is to transition to a greener, self-sufficient, and more sustainable economy but this must be a just transition that brings prosperity for all. My net zero agenda is ambitious, we must become self-sufficient in, and an exporter of affordable, renewable energy. We have the resources including wind, biomethane and geothermal to achieve this.

“This Net Zero Exchange mission will highlight the range and depth of our green manufacturing and innovation sector to the Southeast Asia market. It will identify exporting and collaboration opportunities for our cutting-edge net zero technology companies. Driving exports and securing investment in our green economy will support my ambition to increase productivity, generate quality jobs and stimulate regional growth. The mission will also build international relationships across industry, academia and government which will help support and nurture our green economy.”

The ten companies taking part in the mission span industries including construction, advanced manufacturing and engineering and cleantech. Representatives from Northern Ireland Electricity Networks, the Department for the Economy, Arup, Queen’s University Belfast, the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Ulster University, Strategic Investment Boad and Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy are also participating. All are hoping to establish valuable contacts in the Malaysia and Singapore markets. 

Rachel Sankannawar, Head of Green Economy Development at Invest NI, will be part of the mission. She said: “Invest NI’s strategy is to identify new market opportunities in the green economy and ensure that local companies are supported to compete for them. 

“This mission will open new doors for businesses but is also a chance for us to showcase Northern Ireland as an excellent investment location. We’ll be highlighting our expertise in engineering and technology, abundance of natural resources, ambitious government strategy for building a sustainable economy and the unique trading position established by the Windsor Framework.” 

The Exchange visit seeks to position Northern Ireland as a partner of choice for collaborations that drive innovation and growth in the Green Economy.  

Derek Hynes, Managing Director of NIE Networks, commented: “As we embark on an investment of £2.6bn in the next regulatory period (to 2031) we want to engage with as many stakeholders as possible so that we can facilitate the ambitions of businesses across Northern Ireland and beyond. NIE Networks is the gateway to a net zero future for Northern Ireland so we will be seeking to learn from our counterparts in Asia to ensure we are being as ambitious in our plans as we can be.  

“We also understand that businesses here, and those hoping to invest in Northern Ireland, need to understand that we are committed to providing a safe, secure and reliable electricity network and that we have the skills and expertise to deliver what they need from us.” 

Emmet Lagan, Director of Lagan Energy Engineering Ltd based in Omagh, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in major Northern Ireland green energy projects including GenComm and Mannok’s Hydrogen Valley, which has enabled us to showcase what we can do in the fields of hydrogen and alternative fuels. Owing to the specialist nature of our services, we have active projects across mainland Europe, and North and South America, we want to build on our successes so far and are pleased to be taking part in this mission which we hope will give us the opportunity to showcase our services and capabilities to the South East Asia market.”