The Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) has unveiled its latest phase of research aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of major industrial clusters in the UK. Supported by UKRI’s Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, IDRIC’s “Flexible Funding Programme” has allocated £1.2 million to fund 13 innovative research projects.
With a target of reducing industrial emissions by at least two-thirds by 2035, the funded research projects are in alignment with this ambition. The projects address a diverse array of challenges, from exploring carbon capture and storage methods across various industries to investigating the viability of green hydrogen production and converting waste carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals.
The first two phases of flexible funding will support projects from esteemed institutions including the Universities of Durham, Cardiff, South Wales, Sussex, Oxford, Strathclyde, Lincoln, Liverpool, and Sheffield, alongside Heriot-Watt University and Imperial College London.
Having awarded £16.8 million to over 60 diverse research projects since its inception two years ago, IDRIC’s current phase of flexible funding is strategically designed to cater to evolving industry needs. This adaptability ensures that IDRIC can bolster impactful activities that can swiftly contribute to tangible outcomes with minimal risk and expenditure.
The newly announced funding extends IDRIC’s ongoing program, which takes a holistic approach to research and innovation. By ensuring the development and customization of critical decarbonisation technologies for industrial use, IDRIC’s research and innovation initiatives are now yielding efficiencies, cost reductions, and novel green business prospects.
IDRIC’s influence also extends to establishing an industrial decarbonisation “Knowledge Hub” for research projects and cluster activities, providing support to policymakers at both national and devolved levels, and conducting essential research related to skill development and training for academia, industry, and government.
Since its inception in 2021, IDRIC has fostered collaborations with over 200 partners and stakeholders, including industry representatives, community members, and policymakers, to address pressing innovation needs.
Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Director of IDRIC, stated, “IDRIC’s program demonstrates our ability to be responsive to industry needs and drive green growth. This new round of funding will help develop practices that significantly contribute to industrial decarbonisation. Our progress over the past two years has been extensive, fostering collaboration between academic research teams and industrial clusters, which is a significant step towards achieving Net Zero for the UK industry.”
Bryony Livesey, Director of Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge at UKRI, commented, “The new round of funding by IDRIC aligns with the UK Government’s commitment to support and drive Net Zero goals. The quality of projects is a testament to IDRIC’s ability to collaborate with high-quality researchers to find meaningful solutions to decarbonising industries in the UK.”