Too often we take energy supply for granted. But ensuring a robust supply of energy is vital and, realistically, it will need to come from a mix of sources, including traditional, "renewable" and those based on new technologies such as carbon capture.

The government has been grappling with these challenges, of course, and this is an issue that will continue to dominate the political agenda. Later this month will see the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. With challenge comes opportunity - and for the Haven Gateway area, the opportunities are considerable.

First, from the construction and maintenance of a massive development of offshore windfarms. 

Second, both Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex have been shortlisted in the government's plans to expand nuclear generation, and an announcement is expected soon.

The government's new industrial strategy "New Industry, New Jobs" recognises that we must work actively to ensure that Britain succeeds in a radically transformed global economy over the next decade.

We will see major changes, and the transition to a low-carbon economy will be one of the most dramatic.  NINJ commitments include investing and laying the foundations in technologies such as wave and tidal energy; and adapting Britain's energy grid to link homes and businesses to the new forms of power generation.

But as far as definite decisions are concerned, the next big announcement will be Round 3 of the UK's offshore wind farms - development licence awards are due to be announced probably during the Copenhagen conference. 

Many ports have been busy positioning themselves in the hope of winning business in connection with these developments - offering land for storage and assembly of turbines, and berths and quay space for the barges and support vessels involved in transporting and installing the turbines out at sea.

We are confident that the Haven ports are well ahead of the game.  This is big industry and already Harwich in particular has proved its capability in this sector, providing vital support services for the recent construction of Gunfleet Sands, and the ongoing construction of the Greater Gabbard wind farm.

These two developments, however, are tiny in comparison to what the government has planned for the next set of announcements; it wants to produce 25 GW of additional offshore wind generation capacity by 2020 and we could see as many as 4,500 wind turbines in the North Sea alone.

Building them is a massive undertaking and the spin-off for the region can come in a variety of ways. 

For example ... contractors have leased more than 20 flats in Brightlingsea for wind farm construction workers; a local fisherman has been bought a new boat to ferry personnel out to sea; and local shops are clearly benefiting.

When one of the 48 monopiles at Gunfleet Sands could not be driven any further into the seabed because of extremely hard ground conditions, local firm AJ Woods Engineering based at Harwich was called in. The task - to cut down the pile, which was under-driven by 6-8 metres.  This involved removing an offcut measuring 4.8 metres diameter, with a wall thickness of 61 mm, and weighing about 45 tonnes. 

Now, was this a challenge or an opportunity?