IEEA Backs Innovative Industrial Technologies to Save 4 Million Tonnes of CO₂

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The latest results from the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA), managed by the Carbon Trust with support from Jacobs and Innovate UK Business Connect, underpin the UK’s efforts to decarbonise its industrial sector. On 10 December 2025, the Carbon Trust revealed that 13 pioneering projects have received a total of £7 million in grant funding under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). These initiatives span diverse industrial applications from metalworking and food equipment cleaning to heat recovery in brewing, in‑situ road resurfacing, and recycling of textiles and plastics and collectively project potential carbon dioxide equivalent savings of 4 million tonnes over the next decade. That represents the annual emissions of the UK’s largest gas‑fired power station.

This achievement underscores the capacity of innovation to transform the industrial sector, currently the third‑largest emitter in the UK at approximately 48 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. Through the IEEA, industries can prototype energy‑efficient technologies with proven performance in live production environments. Since 2018, more than £28 million in public and private match funding has supported 30 IEEA projects, and successful technology developers have leveraged this progress to secure over £40 million in private investment.

What This Means:

This funding round illustrates how strategic government support and collaborative innovation can deliver tangible emissions reductions in heavy industry. The successful deployment of technologies with the potential to save 4 million tonnes of CO₂ over 10 years demonstrates that decarbonisation and industrial productivity can go hand in hand. The IEEA not only accelerates the UK’s Net Zero journey but also drives economic value through improved efficiency and competitiveness. Sustained investment and scaling of these solutions are vital to maintaining momentum.

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Do you have technologies, innovations or solutions that can help public‑sector net‑zero projects? Email: lee@net‑zero.scot