Approaches to industrial cluster decarbonisation: lessons from international experience

Imogen Rattle

University of Leeds, UK

In a growing number of developed economies, industrial decarbonisation policy is focusing on how to reduce emissions from large industrial clusters of energy intensive industries, often found in coastal locations and around ports. These industrial clusters provide co-location of supply and demand for a range of decarbonisation interventions, including electrification; low carbon hydrogen; carbon capture, use and storage; and industrial symbiosis. Proximity has the potential to reduce upfront investment in supporting infrastructure and de-risk development by providing a guaranteed customer base. In addition, the concentration of skilled personnel provides opportunities for learning and innovation sharing. However, relatively little is known about the progress of cluster decarbonisation initiatives globally and the factors that leading initiatives might share. This talk presents the results of a preliminary review of cluster decarbonisation initiatives globally, and explores the potential for clusters to act as pathfinders for the broader industrial transition.