The UK must lead the green innovation conversation
3 min read
In light of the government’s ambition to make Britain a clean energy superpower, Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, reiterates the need for the UK to remain at the forefront of innovation policy
A few years ago, as shadow science minister, I was lobbied by a group of young engineers protesting climate change and demanding − as they put it − the right to work on behalf of the most important client on earth: the Earth.
I remember being surprised − engineers are not generally known for their activism − and pleased they saw science, innovation and technology as key to addressing climate change and that they wanted to play their part. We need to inspire.
And they were right. Innovation is central to the government’s mission for Britain to become a clean energy superpower by 2030.
It is thanks to the genius of scientists and innovators in developing cheap, scalable renewables that we can make this ambitious sprint to a decarbonised grid. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change credits innovation policy as a key driver of plummeting unit costs for renewables like wind and solar.
But this didn’t happen overnight or fortuitously. We are seeing the fruits of sustained global investment in innovative new technologies. In the years ahead, that will mean good, green jobs in renewables for people across the UK, and lower energy bills for consumers.
“It’s right that we continue to support British innovation and celebrate successes, and we must continue to deliver such great change”
The expansion of the green economy is not just about emission targets; it will spur sustainable growth across all our regions by building up our industrial capabilities and our skills base.
Already this Labour government has announced funding for the newly opened Carbon Storage Research Facility in Teesside, part of the UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster. The £22bn being invested in carbon capture and storage will help prove that despite what sceptics might say, decarbonisation and deindustrialisation are not the same thing.
Likewise, securing our long-term energy independence with new nuclear plants, including Small Modular Reactors, will create new opportunities for generations of people around the country. New, innovative technologies will achieve more than the hollow “levelling up” agenda ever did.
Investing in local, green innovation can make science feel tangible. In the North East, Low Carbon Materials was spun out of Durham University in 2019 by three visionary scientists. Within five years, their new net-zero asphalt was resurfacing roads in Durham. The people of Durham could see their success, and feel it when driving on new, smooth road surfaces. Their technology was honed at a fantastic, local university; their business acumen was developed locally; and their innovation was spun out locally. When businesses and communities are mutually supportive, everyone benefits. It’s right that we continue to support British innovation and celebrate successes, and we must continue to deliver such great change.
I have spent my working life, as an engineer and a politician, championing the role innovation can play in making life better and addressing the challenges humanity faces. I hope to continue to do so in my new role as chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
The rollout of Great British Energy, the Industrial Strategy, and wider investment in green industries should make the benefits of innovation real and immediate. We need to ensure that Britain remains at the forefront of green innovation and reaps the rewards in growth and jobs.
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