By WMBD-TV
LONDON, United Kingdom – Governor JB Pritzker, along with the Illinois delegation, has concluded the trade mission trip to the United Kingdom.
The latter part of the trip consisted of Pritzker joining the delegation in London to discuss continued collaborations between the UK and Illinois.
According to a press release from Pritzker’s office, the delegation meetings consisted of discussions on bilateral collaborations in technology and higher education and meetings with business organizations to strengthen ties with Illinois.
What came of the discussions was ultimately the intent to pursue a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK in order to advance trade and economic development goals in Illinois.
Within the discussions, Pritzker hosted a “Clean Energy & Clean Technology” roundtable which included Illinois and UK-based energy companies. During the roundtable, the parties signed the MoU, which intends that both Illinois and the UK will strengthen collaborations to create a net-zero energy future.
The companies that are included in the MoU are Commonwealth Edison Company, Ameren Illinois Company, The Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, North Shore Gas Company, Northern Illinois Gas Company, National Grid plc, UK Power Networks, and Energy Networks Association.
“Under the leadership of Governor Pritzker, Speaker Welch, and the General Assembly, Illinois is recognized as a national leader in the efforts to decarbonize the energy sector,” said Ameren Illinois Chairman and President Lenny Singh. “Ameren Illinois is proud to collaborate with the Governor, our utility colleagues, and our friends in the United Kingdom to accelerate this transition and bring the economic benefits to central and southern Illinois.”
The release also stated that Illinois has been a leader in the clean energy space as it is the first state in the Midwest to require carbon free energy by 2050.
Illinois and the UK-based companies made a promise to expand the use of sustainable technologies and renewable energy to support economic growth and the creation of jobs in both across the State of Illinois and the UK.
In the meeting, Pritzker highlighted Illinois’ clean energy benefits to businesses that were looking to expand in the United States. Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act will devote $180 million per year to workforce program to build the clean energy workforce.
Pritzker also met with major partners in the quantum computing space. The members also met the day prior in an “Innovation and Technology” roundtable at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in London.
Illinois is the home of more National Quantum Science Information centers than any other U.S. state and is one of the largest contributors to the National Quantum Initiative Act. Pritzker’s administration is ensuring that the future of quantum computing is centered in Illinois by providing a $200 million investment in the Chicago Quantum Exchange.
At the end of the trip, the Governor hosted the Delegation’s Farewell Dinner to complete the 2023 UK Trade Mission trip with the Illinois Delegation.
Ultimately, the trade mission’s goal was to strengthen the bilateral collaboration between Illinois and the UK.
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