EDUCATION
The future – a CGI of Teesside University ’ s Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre , at TeesAMP in Middlesbrough .
NET ZERO HEROES
Supporting
The Tees Valley ’ s integral role within the United Kingdom ’ s industrial infrastructure is well acknowledged . Now , as we look towards a world without fossil fuels , Teesside University is leading the charge to make the region a global player in a Net Zero future .
Central to this ambitious mission is a host of initiatives being spearheaded by the university , working alongside industry to drive applied research and innovation , ensuring that the Tees Valley is perfectly placed to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Net Zero .
In addition , the university has invested in its people and infrastructure to ensure it has the necessary talent and facilities to take a leading role in the transition to a smarter , greener industrial economy .
Key leader appointed Helping to drive forward the university ’ s decarbonisation agenda is Dr Gari Harris , the recently appointed director of the £ 13.1m Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre ( NZIIC ).
Dr Harris joins the university from British Steel , where he led the company ’ s global research and development projects .
As director of the NZIIC he is working to ensure that the state-of-the-art facility will position Teesside firmly at the heart of the UK ’ s green industrial revolution .
Situated at the Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park ( TeesAMP ) in Middlesbrough , the NZIIC is scheduled to open in Spring 2023 and is part-funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority and the European Regional Development Fund .
The facility will be a national centre of excellence taking an industry-led and industryfocused approach to developing solutions to tackle the impact of waste and pollution on a just transition to a green economy
the environment , utilising expertise around industrial decarbonisation , sustainability and the circular economy .
Ahead of its opening , the NZIIC is establishing itself as a key component of Tees Valley Combined Authority ’ s regional innovation strategy , and is already taking a leading role in a number of major projects , including a multi-million pound research project to support hydrogen innovation which has received funding from the Research England Development ( RED ) Fund .
Dr Harris said developments such as these , coupled with the Tees Valley ’ s unique location , will see it well placed to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by Net Zero .
“ I ’ m passionate about Net Zero and decarbonisation and industry is at the heart of that ,” he said .
“ To achieve this we need the big players to get involved and , in my experience , they really want to come along with us .
“ I want to see this region become the go-to destination for Net Zero research and development and we are well-placed to do that .
“ The East Coast cluster is developing firstin-pipe technology around carbon capture and storage and green / blue hydrogen production and we have the largest hydrogen storage capabilities in the country .
“ As well as the moral imperative to cut carbon there ’ s a real economic advantage with some major opportunities to be had .
“ That ’ s why our RED Fund project is so
72 | Tees Business