The UK Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, announced the winners at Climate Action’s Climate Innovation Forum, where he called on industry leaders and international bodies to get behind the green innovation drive, as part of London Climate Action Week’s flagship event.
From hydrogen-powered cornflake production to low carbon Scottish whisky distillation, businesses across the UK have received a share of over £80 million government funding to ditch costly fossil fuels for cleaner alternatives.
Breakfast giant Kellogg’s is among 29 successful projects to change their production processes to cut their emissions. The company plans to use hydrogen to fuel their cereal making process in Manchester, backed by over £3 million government investment.
Meanwhile one of Scotland’s oldest whisky makers, Annadale Distillery, will also take a step towards a new low carbon future, with a £3.6 million government investment in new thermal heating technology. This will see the distillery work with Exergy3 Ltd to develop a system that stores energy from electricity in special ceramic bricks, to then produce heating gas that could fully decarbonise the whisky-making process.
The funding, announced by Minister Stuart, puts businesses on a path to revolutionising their industry with cleaner energy sources – such as hydrogen and biomass. It marks the government’s latest move to boost the UK’s energy security and grow the economy.
Stuart said: “Whether it’s the first meal of the day or a night cap, the great manufacturers of our country are striving to cut their carbon emissions and their energy bills – and in turn, support our efforts to boost our energy security.”
“Our investment of over £80 million will help them to go further and faster, using the latest science, technologies, and new energy sources to cut ties with fossil fuels and future-proof their industries.”
Another leading name getting a slice of the funding is Britain’s biggest biscuit maker, Burton’s Food Ltd – home to Maryland cookies and Jammie Dodgers – which will see them innovate to swap out a gas oven for low carbon electric, at their Dorset bakery, thanks to over £3.3 million from the government.
Around £950,000 will also go to consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) to explore how to integrate CCUS into their manufacturing, by extracting carbon from the company’s waste streams to help cut emissions. The project will form of a new research drive, CarboNation, in partnership with Newcastle University’s School of Engineering and Centre for Process Innovation.
The energy projects receiving backing today come in the latest round of the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to scale up low-carbon technologies for use across UK industries.
The funding forms part of the government’s commitment to reduce overall UK energy demand by 15% by 2030, alongside the wider ambition for the UK to move towards greater energy independence.
Alongside the funding allocated today, the government has also published new reports to support the transition to alternative energy sources for UK industry. This includes guidance on designs for hydrogen technology systems, as part of the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator programme.
