How KTN is Driving Innovation to Meet Net Zero Targets
Take a look at the projects KTN is working on to support and accelerate innovation towards Net Zero.
The UK was the first major economy in the world to commit to Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and as of June 2020 there were 19 other countries or regions adopting Net Zero targets. In addition, there is a desire to drive a green and resilient recovery following the coronavirus pandemic.
Across KTN our teams are working on a wide range of projects that will support and accelerate innovation to meet the Net Zero targets. Our projects address two key Net Zero themes:
1) Decarbonisation – The reduction in the use of fossil fuels across energy, heat, transport, agriculture and industrial networks.
2) Circular Economy and Sustainable Innovation – The reduction in the use of virgin fossil carbon through reuse, remanufacture and recycling. Alongside a need to manufacture non-fossil based products.
There are two additional key themes, Place and Enabling Technologies, which we think will have an important place in the future portfolio. The image below shows current projects from across the portfolio:
We also mapped our projects onto the top priorities from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) – these are the areas identified as critically important for the UK to meet its climate change goals. The graph shows the number of projects that will have an impact on each of the CCC priority areas (NB one project may impact multiple priorities). This shows us that KTN’s portfolio covers all the key priorities laid out by the CCC except the F-gases, which are generally used as coolants or electrical insulators and tend to have a much higher greenhouse warming potential than carbon dioxide, and we are looking to scope out the innovation opportunity in this area.
As the UK and the world looks towards a “green recovery” following Covid-19, KTN is uniquely positioned to:
Connect Net Zero innovators to established industry
Creating new, cross sector networks. Connecting new innovations whilst supporting the translation and adoption of technologies. Developing an Investment community for Net Zero Innovators. Active connection between industry challenges and innovative SME
Identify enabling technologies for Net Zero
Identifying and showcasing specific capabilities from the research base and from a diverse range of innovative businesses
Accelerate deployment with cross sector learning
Driving intelligent adoption of proven innovations across diverse industry sectors
Enable the development of low carbon supply chains
Using our network to establish new and resilient supply connections
Identify cross sector policy and insights
Championing the role of innovation. Delivering clarity around industry challenges and opportunities to inform a positive policy environment for net zero.
With deep expertise across sectors KTN is looking to further develop its net zero plan and set out an ambitious programme to deliver positive change. This article forms the first in a series around KTN’s activity on Net Zero.