Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership – industrial decarbonisation

Oxford and Oxfordshire aim to reach 'net zero' well ahead of 2050. To do so will require all sectors across the county to reduce their carbon footprints.

There are power grid constraints in the Oxford region, and a shortage of capacity limits opportunities for increasing housing stock in the area. Industrial activities in Oxford contribute significantly to the city's overall emissions, accounting for 17% of the total. Industrials represent some of the largest individual sources of energy demand, and this project, through funding, seeks to help develop a route map for this sector to realise national and local decarbonisation aspirations. Doing so will help plan the county's energy landscape to facilitate sufficient medium to long-term supply to meet anticipated needs.

The Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership (ZCOP) is a collaboration of 22 organisations, including:

• universities
• institutions
• large businesses
• community organisations

This project supports the Net Zero 2040 goal through a comprehensive, city-wide approach. It is UKRI-funded and will develop a locally led decarbonisation roadmap and action plan specifically tailored to the local industry. 

The project focuses on several core components, including:

• a baseline assessment to establish the current emissions and energy demand of the industrial sector
• a thorough technology review to identify and prioritise technological solutions
• stakeholder engagement to foster collaboration and ensure the successful implementation of decarbonisation measures

The project also involves developing detailed scenarios to map potential decarbonisation pathways and assess their impacts through comprehensive modelling.

The project also tackles various challenges, such as understanding the relevance and potential deployment levels of different technologies. It prioritises energy efficiency, onsite renewables, heat networks, and low-carbon gas switching as key solutions. However, the project's framework also considers and addresses barriers such as grid constraints, high upfront costs, and the need for collective action. The project provides a forum for policymakers and industry to engage around energy supply and demand for the region.

From the project's conception and bid process through to delivery, we contributed:

• technical energy sector and decarbonisation expertise
• project management skills

Horizon scanning and an innovative approach to problem-solving mean we identify both market-ready and early-stage technologies that may reduce the pressure on the grid or support industry decarbonisation. Participation in other projects throughout the county ensures this plan will be consistent with similar regional initiatives. 

The expected outcomes of the Oxford Industrial Decarbonisation Project are substantial. The project will deliver a roadmap to achieving industrial decarbonisation by 2040 by deploying prioritised technologies. Furthermore, it seeks to enhance the capacity and capability of local organisations to implement effective decarbonisation measures. Ultimately, the project will produce a comprehensive roadmap and action plan to guide Oxford's industrial sector towards achieving net zero emissions by 2040.

This project represents a crucial step towards making Oxford a leader in decarbonising industrial clusters, i.e. multiple non-heavy industry actors. For the local area, the expected main impact is to promote and achieve broad decarbonisation, including areas disconnected from the direct control/responsibility of the local authorities (county and district).