Solent Cluster’s new decarbonisation report is product of year’s work with industry & academia

The Solent Cluster has published findings from a new study based on a year-long collaboration with industry and academic partners.

Its Solent Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan (LIDP) Transitioning Pathways report addresses key barriers and opportunities, models business actions and examines public perceptions around industrial decarbonisation.

The report was unveiled at a recent networking event at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, where delegates heard from speakers including Jörgen Sandström of the World Economic Forum and Will Lochhead from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Stuart Baker, executive director of The Solent Cluster, said: “The transition to a lower carbon economy has the potential to drive local economic growth and skilled jobs in our local communities at the same time as benefiting the wider UK.

“As one of the largest industrial regions in the country, it’s vital we decarbonise industry here, and our collaborative work over the past year has shown both the challenge ahead of us and the ambition we have to achieve this.

“The LIDP report perfectly articulates the scale of the task ahead and the actions needed – notably around policy support, investment, local collaboration and skills development.

“It also highlights the enormous potential that exists in the Solent’s innovation and collaboration ecosystem, which could see the wider South of England become a leading area for low carbon investment.”

The LIDP project was funded through a successful bid to the government’s local industrial decarbonisation plan competition, run in partnership with Innovate UK.

It’s backed by Ada Mode, ExxonMobil, SSE Energy Solutions, Veolia UK, GEO Specialty Chemicals, University of Southampton, Enoflex and StandardAero.

• thesolentcluster.com