FROM hydrogen-powered cornflake production to low carbon Scottish whisky distillation, businesses across the UK have received a share of over £80 million government funding to ditch costly fossil fuels for cleaner alternatives.
The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero has announced that businesses across the UK have received a share of over £80 million government funding to ditch costly fossil fuels for cleaner alternatives.
Breakfast giant Kellogg’s is among 29 successful projects to change their production processes to cut their emissions. The company plans to use hydrogen to fuel their cereal making process in Manchester, backed by over £3 million government investment.
One of Scotland’s oldest whisky makers, Annadale Distillery, will also take a step towards a new low carbon future, with a £3.6 million government investment in new thermal heating technology. This will see the distillery work with Exergy3 Ltd to develop a system that stores energy from electricity in special ceramic bricks, to then produce heating gas that could fully decarbonise the whisky-making process.
Dr Markus Rondé, chief executive officer of Exergy3, said “The decarbonisation of industry is a fundamental part of the UK’s race to net zero. However, so far, the extremely high operating temperatures of many industrial processes have made it technically and financially challenging.
“The Net Zero Innovation Portfolio funding enables us to build a full-scale demonstrator at the Annandale Distillery in Scotland. For Exergy3’s technological and commercial development this will be a great leap forward and we are all very excited to try Annandale’s first batch of low-to-no carbon whisky.”
Britain’s biggest biscuit maker, Burton’s Food Ltd – home to Maryland cookies and Jammie Dodgers – has also had funds awarded, which will see them innovate to swap out a gas oven for low carbon electric, at their Dorset bakery, thanks to over £3.3 million from the government.
The Department says that the funding, announced by Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero Graham Stuart, puts businesses on a path to revolutionising their industry with cleaner energy sources – such as hydrogen and biomass.
Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero Graham Stuart said “Whether it’s the first meal of the day or a night cap, the great manufacturers of our country are striving to cut their carbon emissions and their energy bills – and in turn, support our efforts to boost our energy security. 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.”
The energy projects receiving backing today come in the latest round of the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to scale up low-carbon technologies for use across UK industries.
The Minister announced the winners at a Climate Innovation Forum, where he called on industry leaders and international bodies to get behind the green innovation drive, as part of London Climate Action Week’s flagship event.