Zero-Carbon Cooperatives: Working together to decarbonise and for prosperity

Will people in 2050 look back to present day and be shocked at the wastes we generate and the damaging use of fossil fuels?

Instead, perhaps, they may be coping with a warming world with ever more extreme weather and the loss of land due to sea level rise. Which path the world takes depends on the decisions we make today. These choices are driven by many forces such as public opinion, government policy, supply chain requirements and economic necessity. Pressure for change is often directly from concern for the climate and consequent country level emission targets for 2050 (or earlier). Other policy choices or cost drivers can also accelerate the reasons for change. In the UK, we know that removal of duty rebates for red diesel will increase fuel costs for the construction and mineral products industry sector. More generally, geo-political events, beyond the control of the UK, are a bigger shock to energy prices which then drive production costs up across the economy. Supply chains are also being pushed to be carbon neutral by dates as early as 2025. These targets are driven by ambitious plans from major end customers influenced by consumer pressure.

Here in the Bryden Centre, and more widely at both Queen’s University, AFBI and Ulster University, we are working across industry sectors and agriculture in Northern Ireland to look to the future and the replacement of oil, coal, and natural gas. Our overall goal is to ensure the transition away from fossil fuels makes commercial sense and does not harm the environment – “Energy without consequence”. During our work with business, agriculture, and government, opportunities have been apparent where we can not only displace fossil fuels but also combine waste streams from different sectors to:

・Provide green electricity and heat ・Produce new value-added products while minimising waste disposal costs ・Create local jobs and prosperity while improving the environment

Surplus heat generated from many industrial and other processes is a prime example of a where a waste has real value if used elsewhere.

Capturing this energy opens up the opportunity to provide lowcost heating for homes, schools, factories, and offices. This provides an extra income for businesses with the bonus of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

As a result of our work, Queen’s

University has been funded by the UK Government’s community renewal fund to investigate the potential of delivering net-zero emissions on a local and regional basis through the establishment of zero-carbon cooperatives.

Modelled on the highly successful farming cooperatives, the concept of a zero-carbon cooperative is that it is a partnership between local industry, business, farmers, and people.

In this project we are developing three techno-economic feasibility studies across Northern Ireland - these are in Fermanagh and Omagh, Mid and

East Antrim as well as Causeway

Coast and Glens Council areas.

These studies will assess the resources, waste re-use and new business opportunities, and overall economic potential of a cooperative of local industry, farmers, and councils.

Two further project pillars will look at: ・ Green skills development, including innovation and leadership ・ Engagement and understanding of zero-carbon concepts across business sectors and communities

Already we have participation from the mineral products sector and customer base, and we would welcome additional participants either directly in the studies or to explore the concept further. To illustrate the zero-carbon cooperative idea in more detail a conceptual picture of what a zerocarbon cooperative could look like is below. In this example local industry is powered by renewable electricity or via biomethane from an AD plant. Renewable power is also used to generate green hydrogen for transport or energy storage. In this example, an industry partner could be a cement manufacturer producing CO2 and waste heat that is fed into the cooperative effectively contributing to the decarbonisation of cement production. All waste streams from industry, agriculture and households are combined with unused oxygen and heat from green hydrogen production. Together these unused wastes are converted to useful resources, providing district heating for homes and industry; heat, nutrients, and feeds for novel forms of farming; and heat, CO2, and nutrients to an algal biorefinery producing biochemicals and biofuels.

What was once considered wastes for disposal are transformed into zero-carbon products through local enterprises that create new skilled jobs in the community.

Intelligent design is an important component of a zero-carbon cooperative. Successful cooperatives will match a range of different wastes streams with businesses and consumers that can use or transform these wastes to new products or low-carbon energy.

A zero-carbon cooperative should be prosperous, sustainable, and near energy-independent while generating almost no pollution or waste for disposal. Achievement will see industry and agriculture benefit through: ・Sale of waste for reuse and reduction in landfill and carbon taxes

・Development of new business opportunities and new revenue streams for carbon offsetting ・Reduced risk of pollution and the cost of mitigation ・Lower risk of external energy price shocks

Local communities, councils and people will also gain through: ・New jobs, secured in a prosperous local economy ・Low-cost, renewable heat and electricity ・Substantially improved local environment and better health

If you want to learn more about how you can be involved, then contact us at: ZeroCarbonCoops@qub.ac.uk