Client: UK Research and Innovation
Objective
To review UK funding streams to help UKRI identify and leverage external funding opportunities for decarbonisation projects, supporting their goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Case Study
UKRI is a non-departmental public body bringing together seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. In June 2020, UKRI published their Environmental Sustainability Strategy which commits to meeting net zero carbon emissions across scope 1, 2 and measurable scope 3 by 2040. Each of the research councils, as well as many of the underlying research centres, share this target with UKRI.
In order to meet this target, there are several large decarbonisation projects requiring external funding that must take place across UKRI, and their proportion of external funding for their decarbonisation work is much lower than other organisations have been able to leverage. 3ADAPT were therefore commissioned by UKRI to perform a review of the UK carbon funding landscape, to help identify further opportunities to leverage external funding to deliver UKRI’s decarbonisation projects.
“3ADAPT have worked with us over several years to understand our environmental impact and the actions we can take to minimise harm. They take a collaborative approach to sustainability, working with rather than for clients.”
This review considered 30 funding streams consisting of different types of funding available to support decarbonisation projects for a range of organisation types relevant to UKRI, and their associated organisations such as universities, as well as across a range of locations and for different project stages. Each funding stream was linked to the decarbonisation project type(s) it would apply to, from the following 7 broad types used to structure the review: Renewables and energy storage; Electric vehicles and low carbon transport; Refurbishment and upgrade; Feasibility studies and surveys; New build; Research infrastructure and national capability, and; Research activities.
The final report was designed to act as a tool to guide the reader, relevant members of staff within UKRI, to the most suitable funding stream(s) for their decarbonisation project. It has provided UKRI with a clearer and fuller picture of the funding opportunities available to them, improving their ability to leverage these as well as identify new opportunities to decarbonise.
