The UK Government has recently pledged over £80 million to help businesses across the country transition from fossil fuels to cleaner, sustainable alternatives. This ambitious move underlines the nation’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy security.
Famous brands like breakfast cereal maker Kellogg’s and one of Scotland’s oldest whisky makers, Annandale Distillery, are among the 29 successful projects to secure the funding. The Government’s backing aims to revolutionize industry processes, encouraging the use of greener energy sources like hydrogen and biomass.
Kellogg’s plans to use hydrogen to fuel its cereal production process in Manchester, courtesy of a £3 million grant. Meanwhile, Annandale Distillery, in partnership with Exergy3 Ltd, has received £3.6 million to develop a system that stores energy from electricity in ceramic bricks. This stored energy will then produce heating gas, potentially fully decarbonizing the whisky-making process.
Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, noted, “Our investment of over £80 million will help them to go further and faster, using the latest science, technologies, and new energy sources to cut ties with fossil fuels and future-proof their industries.”
A slice of this funding will also benefit Britain’s largest biscuit maker, Burton’s Food Ltd, enabling them to replace a gas oven with a low-carbon electric alternative at their Dorset bakery. Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) is set to receive approximately £950,000 to integrate Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) into their manufacturing processes.
These commitments form part of the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, intending to accelerate the development and implementation of low-carbon technologies across various UK industries. The funding breakdown comprises £52.5 million for the Industrial Fuel Switching competition, £21.2 million for Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Programme Phase 2, and £9.2 million for CCUS Innovation 2.0 competition.
This significant funding boost forms part of the government’s strategy to reduce UK energy demand by 15% by 2030, aligning with a broader ambition for greater energy independence. The transition to cleaner energy forms is paving the way for a low-carbon future, pushing the boundaries of innovation, and providing a plethora of opportunities for the UK’s green energy sector.
