Sustainable carbon ambition for the UK chemicals industry
Transitioning away from virgin-fossil resources
The chemicals industry is inherently carbon and energy intensive, and unlike other industries, uses fossil resources as both a fuel and as a feedstock – contributing to both fossil-derived production emissions plus release of embodied fossil carbon at end of life.
Innovate UK have worked in partnership with senior leaders from industry and academia to create a Sustainable Carbon Ambition for the UK Chemicals Industry.
Ambition 2050
The UK chemicals industry will double economic output and will source 80% of its carbon requirements from non-virgin fossil, sustainable carbon sources. This urgent once-in-a-generation opportunity will create hundreds of thousands of highly skilled, well-paid and productive jobs in regions of the UK most targeted for growth.
— Sustainable Carbon for the UK Chemicals industry Ambition
The challenge
The UK advanced manufacturing base is fundamentally reliant on inputs from the chemicals industry. They are found in almost everything we buy, use, eat and drink.
Figure 1: More than 96% of all manufactured products in the UK contain inputs from the chemicals industry. Infographic: UK CHEM 2050
Economic value
Chemicals are integral to our lives and are the building blocks of a modern and resilient economy.
4,415
Businesses
651,000
Supporting jobs
£203k
GVA per employee
Call to action
Protect
Protect the current key assets and infrastructure whilst abating the environmental impact.
Focus
Focus on biomass sustainability and increasing availability, supporting process innovation through engineering biology.
Establish
Establish a chemical recycling industry as part of a wider circular economy.
Invest
Invest in carbon capture and utilisation in locations with abundant low-carbon hydrogen and renewable energy.
Key enablers
Understanding
Understanding feedstock availability, mapping existing assets and supply chain gaps and opportunities, scalability, emerging technology.
Policy
Policy coalition on Best Available Carbon management, access to affordable low-carbon hydrogen and renewable energy, Mass Balance Accounting.
Collaboration and co-investment
Collaboration and co-investment between industry, academia, and investor communities to provide innovative solutions at pace for UK and global markets.
SECTOR
Chemistry
The Innovate UK Business Connect Chemistry team can help you navigate change and identify innovation that will ensure your business, research or service remains sustainable into the future.