Major East Mids projects to receive over £37m as part of £1bn Government green plan
Leicester City Council is to receive £24.3 to upgrade 93 buildings – including 56 schools – as part of a £1bn drive by the Government to drive down emissions from industry and public buildings like schools, hospitals and council buildings.
The New Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy sets out a vision for the world’s first low-carbon industrial sector – and aimed to slash emissions by two-thirds in just 15 years.
The Government says the plan is part of a path to net zero by 2050, and will create and support 80,000 UK jobs over the next 30 years.
Leicester City Council is set to receive £24,253,008 as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to upgrade 93 buildings including 56 schools. This will include replacing natural gas heating with air source heat pumps, installing LED lighting, installing solar panels, and improving the insulation of the buildings.
Meanwhile, a £171m Industrial Decarbonisation Fund has also been announced. Over £12m will be awarded to project Humber Zero which plans to decarbonise the industrial complex at Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, by creating a carbon capture and hydrogen hub, providing cost-effective and low carbon energy supply and storage opportunities to industry and the National Grid.
With the Humber region creating 40% of the UK’s industrial emissions, these projects aim to capture 25 million tonnes of carbon every year. It will create a low-carbon hydrogen energy supply chain to power the region’s homes and businesses, while safeguarding tens of thousands of jobs, says the Government.
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We were the first major economy to put into law our target to end our contribution to climate change, and today we’re taking steps to be the first major economy to have its own low-carbon industrial sector.
“While reaching our climate targets will require extensive change across our economy, we must do so in a way that protects jobs, creates new industries and attracts inward investment – without pushing emissions and business abroad.
“Ahead of COP26, the UK is showing the world how we can cut emissions, create jobs and unleash private investment and economic growth. Today’s strategy builds on this winning formula as we transition low carbon and renewable energy sources, while supporting the competitiveness of Britain’s industrial base.
“Backed by more than £1 billion investment, today’s plans will make a considerable dent in the amount of carbon emissions emitting from our economy and put us on the path to eliminate our contribution to climate change by 2050.”
CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said: “The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy marks another vital step in the UK’s plans to achieve its net-zero emissions target. Creating and championing competitive low-carbon industries will ensure the benefits of a green economic recovery, and the longer-term transition to net-zero, are shared across the whole country.
“Ahead of COP26, this is a welcome demonstration of the UK’s commitment to act on climate change, to make our post-pandemic recovery a green one, and to give businesses the certainty they need to invest in the technologies of the future.”
