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The 22 projects will receive a share of £12.4m funding from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), designed to help energy intensive industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink to cut carbon emissions and energy costs.
Industry is estimated to produce 16% of the UK’s emissions, and will need to cut emissions by two-thirds by 2035 to help the UK achieve its net zero target.
In County Durham, the Serpent project at multinational company Autotech Engineering/ Gestamp will capture and reuse energy lost through heat and noise during high tonnage presses of flat metal sheets for lighter vehicles. Initial results have already shown a 10% reduction in peak power usage during tool change over.
Other projects will see tarmac developer and manufacturer Harsco Environmental capture waste heat from exhaust gases at its plant in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, transforming it into electrical power, while food producer Dunbia in Carmarthenshire will upgrade its heating system from a gas oil-fired steam boiler to an air source heat pump powered by renewably sourced electricity.
“Boosting the energy efficiency of industrial processes is a critical step, not only in our transition to a lower-carbon economy, but also by helping businesses to cut their energy costs and protect valuable British jobs,” said Graham Stuart, minister at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
“That’s why the government has stepped in once again to support energy intensive industries, with a fresh funding round to unleash the next generation of green innovators who are reshaping the way technology can reduce carbon emissions.”
The IETF has so far awarded £34.8m since it launched in June 2020.
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