Six of the country’s most heavily industrialised regions are pressing ahead with ambitious decarbonisation projects after securing up to £8 million of government net zero funding to kick-start their transformation plans.
Phase 2 of the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, part of the UKRI Challenge Fund delivered through UK Research and Innovation, is looking to develop infrastructure that can yield significant emissions reductions while creating highly skilled jobs to revive the fortunes of deprived communities.
Central to the vision for a net zero future are low-carbon technologies that will thrive and grow, halting the drift of young talent from industrial towns and cities, especially in the north of the country.
For example, Net Zero Tees Valley aims to decarbonise a cluster of carbon-intensive businesses by 2030, supporting up to 5,500 direct jobs. The plan is to capture up to six million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, equivalent to the energy used in two million homes. Storage would typically be under the North Sea, opening up further technically demanding career opportunities.
Government is committing a total of £170 million to the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, with industry being asked to contribute a further £280 million. The challenge is a key part of the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The six Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge projects are:
- South Wales Industry – A Plan For Clean Growth (led by CR Plus consultancy)
- Repowering The Black Country (Black Country Consortium)
- Net Zero Tees Valley (Tees Valley Combined Authority)
- Scotland’s Net Zero Roadmap (Neccus)
- Net Zero North West (Peel Environmental)
- Humber Industrial Cluster (Humber Local Enterprise Partnership).
Last updated: 13 February 2023