Tue, 20 June, 2023
Longstanding partners Teesside University and TWI, whose latest joint initiative is the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC), recently hosted an outstanding day dedicated to innovation and technologies for net zero, at the Centre’s new purpose built facility on TeesAMP (Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park), Middlesbrough.
The event was attended by around 50 delegates representing UK-based businesses, including SMEs and research and technology organisations (RTOs), who came together to explore the challenges and demands of working towards net zero operations, and a sustainable future for industry.
Entitled Unlocking Net Zero Potential Through Collaboration, the one day conference, on 7 June 2023, was chaired by NZIIC Director Gari Harris and comprised an impressive programme of speakers, all with substantial backgrounds in different areas of environmental technology, and expertise that they were able to share with the audience.
The role of hydrogen was addressed by speakers Matt Williamson, Head of Hydrogen for bp who gave a presentation on ‘Fuelling the Nation: The Role of Hydrogen in the UK', Dave Robson, H2 External Relations Lead at Kellas Midstream Limited who looked at ‘Producing Low Carbon Hydrogen at Scale on Teesside’, and Yaying Chen, Charted Senior Chemical Engineer and Jon Constable, Chief Asset and Engineering Officer, both of Protium, who jointly discussed ‘Bringing Zero Emission Green Hydrogen to UK’.
The essential component of equipping workforces with the necessary skills and competencies required for running net zero orientated businesses was covered by speakers Jason Faulkner, Executive Principal of Redcar and Cleveland College who gave a presentation on ‘The Future of Skills As We Progress Towards Net Zero', and Joanne Burgess, Director of Apprenticeships, and Adam Agar, Head of Department – Engineering, both of Teesside University, who talked about ‘Skills and Higher Apprenticeships Targeting Net Zero’.
Delving down into more specialist aspects of environmental technologies application were Owain Brennan, CEO of SeerBi, who gave a fascinating insight into ‘The Application of AI in Net Zero: To Seagrass and Beyond', and Andrew Stacey, Founder and CEO, AVGO Biotech who presented on ‘Could the Food Industry be Net Zero?’. The bigger picture was the subject of David Hughes, Chairman of Catalys’ talk on ‘Clean Power Anywhere’.
In summing up the event, Chris Milligan, Research and Innovation Operations Section Manager, TWI said “The drive towards net zero requires adaptation and timely action by UK, as well as global, businesses. Therefore, it was great to see a full audience in the conference room and delegates making a clear commitment to working towards net zero.” “I would also like to thank, again, our speakers, who made the event so relevant to our attendees” added Chris.