Black Country takes another step toward leading a clean growth revolution.
The Black Country Consortium has been awarded funding from UK Research and Innovation to support clean industrial growth through the Repowering the Black Country Project. This second round of funding, focused on helping the UK achieve net zero emissions as part of the government’s Clean Growth Strategy, will support businesses and local authorities in developing plans for zero carbon hubs and reducing energy costs across the Black Country.
The award recognises the potential leadership role the Black Country can take in industrial decarbonisation for the UK. Previous government funding in this area has been largely directed toward the heavy industrial areas of the North and South 
Wales where it is absorbed by a small number of very large companies. By including the Black Country within the scope of the national funding programmes for industrial decarbonisation the government is recognising the critical and distinctive role played by thousands of smaller and medium-sized energy-intense manufacturing businesses which have historically made their homes in the Black Country.
Led by the Black Country Consortium, the Repowering the Black Country partnership includes local businesses Kew Technology, Pro Enviro and CR Plus, supported by specialists from the University of Birmingham and WMG, University of Warwick, as well as companies specialising in urban agriculture (District Eating) and energy investment.
Focused on industrial energy costs, the project will work with Black Country local authorities and businesses to develop plans for zero-carbon energy hubs. These will showcase Black Country manufacturing technology and use local resources, including commercial waste and renewable energy, to deliver zero carbon power. The team will work across all the Black Country Local Authorities to facilitate and plan for small-scale unobtrusive power stations, located on brownfield sites, to deliver electricity and heat to nearby businesses.
Tom Westley DL, Chair of the Black Country LEP Board said: “This funding is another step toward the Black Country putting in place plans to decarbonise our industrial supply chains and lead the way nationally for industrial clean energy. The Repowering the Black Country project is a real partnership approach to planning for the future of our world-class industrial sector.
“This boost will enable the team to work across the Black Country with local authorities and industry to develop zero carbon industrial estates that optimise and generate clean energy in the most efficient way. Zero carbon means lower energy bills, lower carbon emissions and commercial opportunities locally – all of which will be good news for the Black Country economy.”
Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said: “The UK is leading the world’s green industrial revolution, with ambitious targets to decarbonise our economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“As we continue to level up the UK economy and build back greener, we must ensure every sector is reducing carbon emissions to help us achieve our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
“This funding will help key industrial areas meet the challenge of contributing to our cleaner future while maintaining their productive and competitive strengths.”
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Our region’s plan for economic recovery is all about delivering the high-paid, high skilled, ‘green’ jobs of the future. So this funding partnership is both good news for West Midlands jobs and industry, helping businesses grow while using less energy. So it’s great news for our environment.
“The West Midlands Combined Authority has an ambitious #WM2041 plan for the region to be carbon neutral by 2041. This Government funding for clean industrial development in the Black Country will help our region build on its long history of manufacturing, building a green economy that’s good for jobs and good for the planet.”
Funded by UK Research and Innovation, on behalf of the UK government, Repowering the Black Country is one of only 7 projects funded nationally focused on helping the UK achieve net zero emissions by 2040 as part of the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge. This is a key component of the government’s Clean Growth Strategy.
Read more here.
The Repowering the Black Country team encouraging business and industry to get in touch to find out how they can play their part. Further information.
