New strategic support for UK clean industry with £2 million funding boost
The UK's Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), based at Heriot-Watt University, is excited to embark on a new strategic initiative, supported by £2 million from UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to continue its vital work in catalysing industrial decarbonisation to support clean industrial growth.
This funding represents a significant step forward in advancing the transition to a clean industrial future in the UK and builds on five successful years of IDRIC's impact in driving industrial decarbonisation at pace and scale.
Activity will centre on research supporting UK regional and policy impact, while concurrently identifying research and innovation gaps. By continuing its role as a trusted knowledge hub and convenor, IDRIC will sustain momentum, accelerate innovation, and maximise the co-benefits of industrial decarbonisation across the UK.
Backing the UK's industrial decarbonisation strategy
Building on the Government's Modern Industrial Strategy, this funding is perfectly timed to align with the 2025 Budget's twin focus on clean growth and regional investment. Additionally, with the backdrop of the recent Belém Declaration on Global Green Industrialisation at COP30 and discussions on accelerating solutions for sustainable industrialisation, this funding represents a vital investment in supporting UK's green industrialisation.
With industry responsible for around one-sixth of UK greenhouse gas emissions, coordinated action between policymakers, industry and academia is critical to meeting legally binding carbon budgets and achieving net zero by 2050, whilst also delivering societal and economic growth.
This exciting funding opportunity will build on IDRIC's successful whole-system, place-based approach, to co-deliver an actionable body of knowledge through a range of initiatives from research and innovation roadmaps to policy briefings, as well as direct engagement via targeted events and impact-accelerator activities.
The funding will also bring together IDRIC's long-standing stakeholders and new partners to strengthen vital connections across research, industry, and government to continue delivering collaboration in action through Communities of Practice.
IDRIC will continue to unite industrial clusters, dispersed sites (building on government-backed Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plans), critical sectors that underpin decarbonisation supply-chains, regional growth actors and international partners to identify and close research and innovation gaps in industrial decarbonisation.
Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of IDRIC and UK Decarbonisation Champion, says,
"The UK's path to industrial decarbonisation stands at a pivotal moment, facing pressing national and global challenges and opportunities. Through impactful engagement with policy and industry stakeholders, IDRIC will scale up efforts to identify both research and innovation gaps and also co-deliver regional and policy impact. By fostering long-term economic growth and societal benefits, these efforts will help lay the foundations for the industries of tomorrow.
Over the past five years, IDRIC has demonstrated its standing nationally and internationally as a mission-driven, multi-disciplinary centre, tackling industrial decarbonisation through a whole-systems approach. Our achievements to date have led to this critical support and prove what's possible when technology, policy, economics and societal aspects are integrated."
Dr. Kathryn Magnay, Deputy Director for Green Growth, from EPSRC says,
This new investment from EPSRC will enable IDRIC to continue delivering evidence-informed actionable insights from engineering and physical sciences research to help industries across the UK accelerate their transition to cleaner industrial futures. By strengthening regional activity and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers, IDRIC ensures that research translates into practical solutions that support jobs and communities and delivers green growth for the UK
Ruth Herbert Managing Director of Essar Energy Transition ("EET") says, "It's fantastic to see that industrial decarbonisation research and innovation remains a priority for the UK government. As a large employer with ambitious decarbonisation plans for low carbon hydrogen, power, carbon capture and sustainable aviation fuels within the North-West industrial cluster, we welcome IDRIC's focus on a whole-system, place-based approach to problem-solving and looking forward to taking part in its work programme."
More information:
About IDRIC
Since launch in 2021, IDRIC has funded over 100 research projects collaborating with over 200 partners and 1,000 stakeholders.
Working with academic institutions, industry, community representatives and policymakers to address urgent innovation needs, it is realising goals with impact and integrating knowledge across disciplines and sectors.
www.idric.org
Provided by Heriot-Watt University
