Read on to find out more about the challenges and opportunities facing the engineers who are leading organisations towards achieving Net Zero.
Please can you briefly explain your current role and expertise on this topic.
Sam Turner (ST): CTO of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult. The HVM Catapult has sustainable manufacturing at the heart of its strategy and I have sponsored studies into the development of a roadmap for sustainability. I am also leading a cross Catapult study on embodied emissions in manufactured products and driving to a net zero manufacturing footprint for the UK.
What has been your progress and/or biggest achievements when it comes to decarbonisation?
ST: It is early days for HVM Catapult as we build the evidence and strategies to support businesses and government in decarbonising. Our role is to help UK base manufacturers to reduce emissions and thrive with a sustainable manufacturing business.
What do you think is the number one challenge for organisations looking to reduce their emissions?
ST: Addressing scope 3 emissions in the supply chain is a major challenge. Visibility of emissions and standards for accounting for and tracking emissions through the supply chains are required to help businesses make the right choices and to help supply chain companies win business on their low emissions credentials.
There are some who say that decarbonisation is not a priority to them as the target is 2050, what would you say to them?
ST: The government now has a target of 2035 to reduce industrial emissions. This now becomes much nearer term. It is clear that the manufacturing sector must change, some of this will be market pull and some regulation driven. Those who are slow to start their decarbonisation journey will find themselves losing business to competitors who can evidence lower emissions and may find themselves incurring penalties or huge costs to transform their business further down the line.
What is your advice to organisations just starting their work towards a more sustainable process?
ST: Start by understanding where your emissions lie within the factory and with the supply chain, considering Scope 1-3 emissions. Start to make choices and design products that use sustainable and recyclable materials. The bulk of manufacturing emissions exist in the early materials processing stages and we need to look here as well as within the factory to reduce emissions.
What are the next steps in your journey to net zero?
ST: We plan to work with sector leaders and government to identify hotspots for decarbonisation along sector value chains, also identifying opportunities for the UK. We also intend to practice what we preach with some of our centres reviewing their own footprints with plans to lead by example.
What breakthroughs in terms of technology do we need for a more sustainable industrial sector in the future?
ST: We need technology to account and track embodied carbon through supply chains. This will help OEMs and consumers make informed choices and also incentivise suppliers to reduce emissions to win business.
We also need to develop solutions for resource efficiency in factory, digital technology will play a significant role in the factory and at the design stage to optimise products for the full lifecycle.
As most emissions are incurred at the primary material processing stage we will need to develop new sustainable materials and invest in recycling processes and technologies that make it easier to extract value from products and materials at end of life. We need to look at alternative energy sources such as hydrogen, electrification of our manufacturing processes.
There will be huge demands on our energy system as we electrify transport and industry so we will need to investigate industrial symbiosis as means of minimising energy and material waste.
Carbon Capture and Storage has a huge role to play in the medium to long term but it is not currently mature enough to deliver the carbon savings required of it at scale.
Why do you feel it is important for all engineers and professionals involved in manufacturing to be part of the conversation about preparing for net-zero?
ST: We have a global challenge to meet and we need the best engineering minds focussed on building the transport, energy, infrastructure solutions with manufacturing technologies, processes, supply chains and materials that deliver a net zero footprint. This is going to transform the industrial landscape. We will have a generation of the best engineers fixated on this task and any company wanting the best talent within their business will need to be very clear on the role they are playing in delivering net zero emissions.
The Institution's Decarbonisation In Industry seminar will take place on 24 June 2021.
This event will focus on the steps towards a more sustainable and competitive organisation including energy demand analysis and adapting processes to reduce energy use and increase efficiency, led by presentations from Rolls-Royce, HVM Catapult, InnocentDrinks, BMW UK and Climate Change Committee.
Gain insight into reducing energy demand in the most energy-intensive industries: cast stone and steel as well as considering alternative green energy supplies, such as hydrogen. Expert-led virtual break-out rooms will allow you to join the discussion and network with your peers.
To read the full programme and register your place, visit the event website.