Decarb Connect

Patrick Child joins Alex to explore how Mission Innovation works across 24 governments to stimulate global clean energy innovation efforts. We talk about the amount of public investments driven to date ($4.9billion) and the work they are doing to bring at-scale investment from private sector to the issue alongside public sector funds. Listen in to learn about the roadmap that MI is pursuing to get to Net Zero and the next phase of their work. Links: http://mission-innovation.net/our-members/Country highlights report: http://mission-innovation.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/3.-MI-Country-Highlights-2020.pdf For info about Alex Cameron and the team at Decarb Connect, plus their work in the industrial decarbonization space, check out decarbconnect.comMany thanks to Janno Media for their production and editorial work on this podcast series: JannoMedia.com

Advanced Infrastructure’s digital twin model allows UK corporates to get a full picture of their co2 intensity from energy. With emerging co2 reporting regulations pointing to a time when accuracy in co2 reporting will be more than a reputational risk, we discuss how this data can reveal commercial opportunity and what types of gains customers are already seeing from it.Just one example is the ‘kite mark’ approach – allowing industrials to put a stamp on low carbon products. Listen in and find out what other value-adds can be gained from the data and the types of companies already benefiting. Links: www.advanced-infrastructure.co.ukwww.decarbconnect.comhttps://www.advanced-infrastructure.co.uk/post/high-resolution-data-is-lighting-up-the-path-to-net-zero

In a change from our recent episodes which focused more on the finance and innovation themes in decarbonisation, this week we explore the roadmaps that hard to abate companies need to have in place. Cem Gercek, the Area Manager and Decarbonisation Lead at Carmeuse, talks with Aya Pariy about the main elements of their in house decarbonisation roadmap. He also discusses the abatement work that is under way and how their wider value chain is assessing the CO2 opportunity/challenge. If you're working with hard to abate industries, or are interested in how the lime-cement-concrete value chain can decarbonize - this is ideal for you. Cem is a founding member of the Decarbonisation Leaders Network - find out more here:https://decarbconnect.com/decarb-leaders-network/.Many thanks to:Janno Media for their production support:https://www.jannomedia.com/

Green steel, green ceramics – in fact green-any-hard-abate-material – decarbonisation discussions usually focus on fuel switching, energy efficiency or the increased recycling of these same materials. The work being led by Professor Veena Sahajwalla shows that innovative reuse, reforming and recycling of alternative materials (from old tyres to glass and fabric) offers an exciting, commercial and innovative route for producing low carbon materials for some of the toughest to abate sectors. Listen in and learn about where the inspiration for alternative molecules for reforming/reuse comes from, how the team collaborates with industry and you’ll learn about the commercialisation of new processes for green steel and green ceramics (just a couple of examples).We also talk about seeing renewable materials  in thee same way that we look at renewable energy, along with thoughts on microrecycling and the value of microfactories. High energy, entrepreneurial, rooted in science, collaborating with industry; this is a great fit for investors, academics and industrialists committed to decarbonizing our most traditional industries but who are looking for next generation solutions. Links: https://www.smart.unsw.edu.au/https://www.smart.unsw.edu.au/about-us/industry-partners https://www.smart.unsw.edu.au/news-events/news/green-ceramics-videowww.decarbconnect.comMany thanks to: Janno Media for their production support: https://www.jannomedia.com/

The EIC offers up to €17,5 million in financing, blending grants and equity-based investments. Starting as a pilot programme within Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), the EIC has become one of the most ambitious and successful funding schemes worldwide.Louis Papaemmanuel joins Alex to talk about its continued plans a part of the forthcoming Horizon Europe (2021-2027), with the EU pledging over €10 billion. We explore its origins as a highly selective program with only the very best proposals getting funded - we discuss how the fund has matured, what the questions emerging around how it is being applied. Still the most ambitous fund globally, with Climate a key component of its focus, but how can applicants get the best out of it?Links: https://myeuconsulting.com/www.decarbconnect.com

Attention amongst hard to abate sectors is turning more to how to invest at scale in decarbonisation, and to do that - what business models exist to make co2 planning sustainable. Dr Paula Carey, Co-Founder & Technical Director of Carbon8, joins Alex to talk about the essential shift in mindset that is needed… viewing co2 as an asset rather than an expense or liability. Listen in to the conversation as it explore why it’s taken so long for this mindset shift to start to happen – and how industrials can find markets for their captured co2. Explore what impact this can have on the planning and financing of projects and the different forms of co2 utilisation and their relative impact in decarbonisation terms. You’ll also learn about Carbon8’s own technology and their project at one of Vicat’s plants in France, where flue gas from cement production is being converted to an additive for aggregates. Links: https://c8s.co.uk/www.decarbconnect.com

The voluntary carbon offsets market offers short term opportunities and possibly longer term gains as part of a net zero strategy. But with 17000+ opportunities to offset emission globally, how can industrials ensure that they choose the appropriate programme, and how can they further ensure that it can evidence accountability and true additionality. A $300m+ market right now, offsets are set for massive growth - all while coming under significant pressure from detractors concerned at their unintended consequences. For industrials, though, where at scale solutions for decarbonization will take time to become investable and fully rolled-out - they represent an opportunity for meaning steps forward towards net zero. The discussion explores Allied Crowd's experience of developing a database of these projects, the critical questions and deliverables needed from any offsets programme - through to an exploration of additional benefits when we look at "when is a tonne of co2 not (just) a tonne of co2'. Links: https://alliedoffsets.com/www.decarbconnect.com

The Knowledge Transfer Networks role in the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) is to connect the innovators and manufacturers with grant-based funding that can be applied to energy efficiency projects. Given that a key element of decarbonisation is in reducing energy consumption in basic processes and operations, find out how the IETF's funding pot of £315m is being put to use and lessons learned to date. Show Links:https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/842/overviewhttps://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/840/overviewhttps://ktn-uk.org/news/new-industrial-energy-transformation-fund-opportunity-launched-to-support-businesses-on-the-path-to-net-zero/www.decarbconnect.comKTN Briefing event registration:https://ktn-uk.org/events/industrial-energy-transformation-fund-competition-briefing/

If the goal of ESG is to support & drive the corporate transition to net zero/better climate stewardship, is it working? Massive growth is being seen in these funds and there are plenty of bold statements about what they can achieve - but with few simple answers for hard to abate sectors, are ESG strategies simply going to lead to more cost and more barriers to decarbonization? Find out about Will's recent report, get some insight on the questions that industrials and investors need to layer on top of ESG screening and find out how we can make better use of the inflow of capital seeking climate impact as well as great returns. Links:https://info.massifcap.com/download-failure-to-impact-are-esg-funds-delivering-on-investors-ambitionswww.decarbconnect.com

Alex is joined by Per Brevik, Director of Alternative Fuels and leader of the CCUS project at the Norcem Plant for Heidelberg Cement Northern Europe. CCUS has come a long way in the last few years, and whilst heavy industrials are also pursuing fuel switching, efficiency and electrification to drive down CO2 - few believe they can achieve carbon neutrality without access to CCUS. They talk about the path the project has taken, the ticket price of something of this scale and the choice of technology. They also talk about the business model needed for investable CCUS projects to succeed across the hard to abate sectors. Links:- www.norcem.no/en/CCS - www.decarbconnect.com