The why

Industry is the 3rd largest emitting sector in the UK, representing 15% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.

Source: HM Government, UK Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener (October 2021), Table 4

In 2020, industry represented 15% of the total UK carbon emissions, being the third largest contributor behind transport and energy production. Minimising carbon emissions by reducing energy and/or resource intensity during industrial processes is a key component of the UK’s transition towards Net Zero. Technology innovation has the potential to drive these improvements. Based on our analysis, industry-wide adoption of the innovative technologies supported through the previous phases of the IEEA programme for example, could lead to 40.5TWh of energy saved by 2031, which is the equivalent of 10MtCO₂e cumulative carbon savings over ten years.

Potential cumulative carbon savings from adoption of IEEA supported technologies:

Source: The Carbon Trust and Jacobs Analysis

The energy and carbon saved is equivalent to...

Powering 12% of the UK's electricity consumption for one year (2019)

Driving 5 million cars over 1 year

Explore previous projects

The challenge

The UK's Net Zero target means a step-change in the ambition to decarbonise UK industry. Innovative technologies are required to drastically cut emissions by reducing the energy and/or resources used during the manufacturing process.

The IEEA programme is designed to accelerate the development and adoption of promising near-to-market innovations, by funding demonstration projects in an operational environment. £8 million of funding is available to support the industry transition through phases 3 and 4 of the IEEA.

The strategy

The UK industrial decarbonisation strategy highlights three approaches to transforming industrial processes:

Improving energy and resource efficiency

Accelerating innovation of low carbon technologies

Adopting low regrets technologies

The IEEA programme will be key to unlock the potential of new innovations, by lowering risks and cutting costs for businesses; while providing funding and incubation support to developers to speed-up the technology's launch.

The programme is funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), a £1 billion fund announced in the UK Prime Minister’s ten point plan for a green industrial revolution, to accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon technologies, systems and business models in industry, power and the build environment.

A wide range of initiatives will be required to achieve net zero whilst maintaining a thriving industrial sector. The government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy highlights these actions and provides an indicative roadmap for UK industry to achieve net zero.

The IEEA is delivered by the Carbon Trust with support from Jacobs and KTN.