IN-DEPTH – OPINION
Charting a
path to net zero
The £20 million Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre
(IDRIC) has been tasked with taking the UK’s biggest industrial carbon
emitter sites on a path to net zero. Its head, Professor Mercedes Maroto-
Valer, says decarbonisation will require a partnership approach with joint
efforts from industry, government and academia
Many industrial areas of the UK
remain heavily reliant on carbon
fuels. The six largest industrial
clusters by emissions are in Humberside,
followed by South Wales, Grangemouth in
Scotland, Teesside, the North West and
Southampton.
Funded by the Industrial Strategy
Challenge Fund through UK Research and
Innovation and headquartered at Heriot-
Watt University in Edinburgh, IDRIC will
champion industrial decarbonisation
through collaboration: industry and
“The goal is to create the world’s
first net zero carbon industrial
cluster by 2040”
policymakers can discuss how to
accelerate progress, academia can provide
research and innovation expertise, and
communities can engage.
The goal is to create the world’s first
net zero carbon industrial cluster by
2040 and at least one low-carbon cluster
by 2030. Here are five reasons why
collaboration is key to decarbonisation.
1. Economically and socially sustainable
decarbonisation: Collaboration will ensure
the industry transition to low carbon is
environmentally- and socially-sustainable
and can help the UK become an attractive
option for multinationals that want to
prove their green credentials.
IDRIC will accelerate the cost-effective
decarbonisation of industry by developing
and deploying low-carbon technologies
and infrastructure at scale by the mid-
2020s. Companies that are part of large
multinationals may need assistance
presenting the business case for new
technologies; meanwhile, our proposals
will need support from existing policy and
regulation. This will be most effectively
and quickly achieved in partnership,
ensuring businesses retain their
competitive advantage, while reducing
their environmental impact.
2. Accelerating the growth of green
skills: Net zero presents an opportunity
to upskill the existing and future
workforce with green skills that are in
demand. This ‘green economy’ approach
can be exported internationally. IDRIC
will complete an options assessment
to support skills and (re-)training in
the six clusters. This will improve our
understanding of the new skills that will
be required as we coordinate upskilling in
those areas. By facilitating the exchange
of knowledge and best practice between
clusters, this process can be accelerated.
3. Engineering a new role for industry:
Plant and machinery in industrial settings
continue to contribute to the UK’s overall
carbon emissions. Collaboration with
engineers of all types is essential for the
design and delivery of new equipment.
We’re moving faster than many countries
and collaboration will accelerate this
process, creating a new export market
while ensuring a just transition. All of this
requires acuity, ingenuity and a new way
of looking at industry – contributions from
engineers are essential.
4. A systems approach: The industrial
clusters are complex – no two are the
same. To decarbonise whole regions,
we need engineers who understand
whole systems as well as key processes
or technologies. We need a holistic
understanding of the problems we face,
and overarching solutions. We also need
low-emission infrastructure. Green
practices alone will not fully eliminate the
emissions of a factory over its lifetime –
we must take a joined-up approach.
5. Collaborating to protect jobs: In
the global shift to clean growth, we
must safeguard existing jobs and local
economies. IDRIC will help to jointly
reduce costs, risks, timescales and
emissions whilst considering economic
and policy implications alongside
institutional reforms.
To succeed, we must work together.
University research can focus on the
most challenging areas for industry to
decarbonise and raise awareness of
ongoing research and innovation. Industry
experts can share knowledge and best
practices to inform academics as they
develop their research.
We have held several consultation
events with industry, academia,
policymakers and technical experts and
will continue to do so virtually. We are also
engaging with stakeholders regularly. We
want to hear from industry, regulators,
trade unions, policymakers and interest
groups about their needs, and challenges.
But most of all, we want to hear ideas.
Autumn 2020 www.operationsengineer.org.uk 17
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