6 September 2012, The Peterborough office of property consultancy Carter Jonas – which is where the headquarters of the firm’s national energy & marine team is based - has welcomed the appointment of one of the region’s members of parliament as the new Energy Minister.

The recent cabinet re-shuffle has seen John Hayes, who is the MP for South Holland and The Deepings, promoted to the position of Energy Minister in the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Andrew Watkin, partner and head of Carter Jonas’s Energy & Marine team, feels that a combination of constituency experience and previous ministerial briefs sees the new Energy Minister in a position to appreciate the case for renewable energy.

He explains:"The eastern counties are making a significant contribution to growth in the energy sector and can facilitate more."

"We are well-placed logistically and have the expertise in terms of human resource, project development opportunities and operational assets in the renewable energy sector, with wind energy -both offshore and onshore - and also solar photovoltaic (solar PV), including a number of rooftop schemes and solar parks in this area."

"The range of renewable energy technologies brings further opportunities to the region and the agricultural sector, in particular, in locations like those which the new Minister’s parliamentary constituency covers."

"Pre-2010 shadow ministerial positions which encompassed agriculture, planning, housing and transport and, most recently, as Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning give the new Energy Minister both breadth and depth when it comes to appreciating the wider economic and skills benefits that a buoyant renewable energy sector can bring to this region as well as UK plc."