'Low carbon revolution' launched

Industry leaders are backing a drive to cut carbon emissions and energy costs for manufacturers by up to a third, and substantially shrink the carbon footprints of finished products. Britvic, Highland Spring and Tarmac are among the first companies to work with the Carbon Trust in its Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA), a £15m programme designed to cut carbon, reduce costs and make UK manufacturing more competitive. Through the IEEA, the Carbon Trust is aiming to change traditional sector-specific processes that underpin British manufacturing. In partnership with industry leaders, it will identify and demonstrate new, lower-carbon options that can be replicated across other sectors. The programme is expected to reduce energy costs for businesses by more than half a billion pounds and to cut carbon emissions by more than three million tonnes. It will also increase the capacity of these businesses to respond effectively to the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme which comes into effect in April 2010. Dr Mark Williamson (pictured), Carbon Trust Director of Innovations, says: "More than a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions come from industry and we've got to find new opportunities to reduce them. The way to make truly substantial cuts is to get to the very heart of manufacturing. By rethinking the way manufacturers operate from the ground up we plan to spearhead a low carbon industrial revolution that will not only reduce emissions but will also increase demand for innovation, generate jobs and cut costs." A pilot project has already taken place with manufacturers of plastic bottles, animal feed and asphalt: through analysis of their energy consumption they identified the potential to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions by an average of 28%. The Carbon Trust is inviting companies in those industries to collaborate in R&D and demonstrate a business case for commercialising lower-carbon manufacturing processes. It is offering £250,000 match funding to partners in each sector. It is expected that trade bodies and businesses from around 25 different sectors will participate in the IEEA over a four-year period. The Food & Drink Federation and its members, for example, are set to explore opportunities for improved recycling of heat from industrial ovens and more energy efficient methods of producing confectionery. Stephen Radley, director of policy at manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: "We are a strong supporter of this project. It's a clear demonstration of the Carbon Trust's commitment to the manufacturing sector and could help companies take their energy efficiency to the next level. Many EEF members will also see it as an exciting opportunity to develop and supply innovative solutions to the participating industries." Britvic is one of the companies working identify specific parts of the manufacturing process where energy use – and therefore carbon emissions – can be reduced and then use this to find lower-carbon ways of producing plastic bottles. Britvic's head of quality, safety and environment Graham Dale said: "This programme has helped us look beyond conventional ways of reducing energy consumption to explore new ideas within our core manufacturing processes. As a result, we have identified further potential to reduce our carbon emissions and costs and improve the efficiency of our operations."