Cheshire and Warrington leading clean energy agenda as major conference brings together sector’s trailblazers

Organised by Foresight Events in partnership with Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington and others, the two-day Foresight Event 2026 on the 4th and 5th of February will consist of keynote speeches, networking, exhibitions and panel discussions covering the entire future energy space, including on topics ranging from decarbonisation to electrification and nuclear energy.‍

Clean energy sector experts and employers including United Utilities, Veolia, HyNet, Net Zero North West and the North West Hydrogen Alliance will be among the 400 or so industry leaders and policy makers at the event which follows the release of North West Net Zero Hub’s North West Clean Power Plan last year which concluded that Cheshire and Warrington and other parts of the North West are set to be “global leaders in clean energy innovation and industrial decarbonisation”.‍

This comes off the back of the Prime Minister and Chancellor visiting Cheshire in October 2024 to announce £11billion of funding for the HyNet hydrogen production and carbon dioxide capture programme centred on the Origin Cluster in Ellesmere Port.‍

The funding builds on the announcement made in January 2025, which highlighted that west Cheshire had been selected as a pilot “key growth region” for clean energy which led to £900,000 in funding to upskill 150+ clean energy workers.‍

Organisers say The Foresight Event at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on February 4 and February 5  is the first time all of the clean energy space has been covered like this with everything from hydrogen, nuclear and offshore wind on the agenda as the conference focuses on how Cheshire and the North West are playing a pivotal role “as the UK is building its new energy future”.

‍Those attending will debate and discuss progress made and what progress is still needed going forward to ensure that the UK has the secure and clean energy to support its communities, businesses and industry. The event comes amid a collective bid from leaders in Cheshire and Warrington for the area to be the UK's healthiest, most sustainable, inclusive and fastest-growing economy by 2045.

And the conference comes hot on the heels of Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Shadow Board backing the Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Strategy (SIES), a blueprint to deliver the highest rate of economic and productivity growth in the north, slash carbon emissions by 4.5 million tonnes annually by 2030, and expand access to transport, digital infrastructure and quality housing while reducing poverty.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Member of the Cheshire and Warrington Shadow Board responsible for Skills, Health and Inclusion, said: “Events like these are important for our clean energy aims in the North West and our contribution nationally and globally.

“We are proud as a region to be taking steps to lead the transition to secure, clean energy, and to support our residents to upskill and reskill to take advantage of new clean energy job opportunities, as we aim to become the most sustainable, healthy, inclusive, and growing economy in the UK.

“We would like to thank Foresight Events and the other partners for giving us the opportunity to join forces and demonstrate our incredible progress.”

Eric Lewis, Managing Director of Foresight Events, added: “At Foresight Events, we are proud to create a platform that brings together the public and private sectors with leaders from across the energy industry to support meaningful engagement and collaboration.”

To find out more about Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington’s work, visit cheshireandwarrington.com/. And for more information on the conference, visit www.foresight.events.