Matt Crocker – Senior Vice President of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions
Dr Lindsay-Marie Armstrong – Associate Professor within the School of Engineering at the University of Southampton and Solent Academic Cluster lead for the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre
Anne-Marie Mountifield – Chief Executive of Solent LEP
Will Lochhead – Deputy Director of Industrial Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Business Models
A group of organisations, business companies and education establishments have come together to form The Solent Cluster. The group includes Wightlink, Red Funnel and the Isle of Wight Council and those belonging to the Solent Cluster plan to greatly reduce their carbon footprints.
The Solent Cluster sees the first major decarbonisation initiative that would substantially reduce CO2 emissions from industry, transport and households across the Solent and Southern England.
The Solent Cluster could secure existing jobs and produce low-carbon fuels for sectors including maritime and aviation, as well as providing energy to heat homes, businesses, and public buildings. This effort could position the Solent at the centre of low carbon fuel production in the UK and make a major contribution to the country’s Net Zero ambitions by 2050. The project could capture approximately three million metric tons of CO2 every year.
Anne-Marie Mountifield, chief executive of Solent Local Enterprise Partnership said, “Decarbonisation is at the heart of our economic strategy for the area and the creation of The Solent Cluster will sit alongside our ambition to pioneer approaches to climate change adaptation and decarbonization, linked to our coastal setting, and establishing real expertise which other regions – nationally and globally – can learn from. The Solent Cluster will provide a platform for the excellent work that is already taking place and the partnership has a unique opportunity to affect real change in energy production and consumption, establishing the Solent and wider region as a leading centre for low carbon investment now and in the future.”