New Midlands Energy Security White Paper featuring aerospace

With energy security critical to inclusive, sustainable growth, the Midlands Engine has published a new white paper highlighting the strengths and opportunities the region has to offer in powering the UK’s clean energy revolution.

One of the industry case studies featured in the Energy Security White Paper is the Decarbonising the Midlands Aerospace Cluster (DMAC) project, led by the MAA. The work has led to Midlands aerospace being recognised as a strategic industrial cluster committed to decarbonisation and clean energy technologies in the paper.

The project team have been planning how supply chain companies could achieve net zero emissions by 2050. With funding from the UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and support from Innovate UK, the MAA has been collaborating with ITP Aero, Collins Aerospace, Arrowsmith (part of ASG Group), G&O Springs, Technoset, and Helix to develop strategies and practical guidance.

The DMAC project has itself been helping to inform policy. In addition to being featured in this White Paper, it has been included in the MAA’s in-depth response to the Government’s Industrial Strategy Green Paper; we’ve been reporting progress to the Aerospace Growth Partnership; and we’ve been asked by DESNZ to contribute feedback, ideas and next steps.

The Midlands Engine’s White Paper aims to inform and help shape national policy and investment to ensure awareness of the Midlands context and opportunities as well as the benefits both regionally and nationally. It demonstrates why achieving energy security is vital for the Midlands due to the scale of advanced manufacturing which makes up a large part of the regional economy and drives growth, with the importance of aerospace recognised. Ensuring a dependable source of affordable, clean energy is also essential for our communities.

The energy security challenge offers economic opportunity for businesses and innovators driving the UK’s transition to net zero, for example through energy infrastructure such as the Humber Offshore Wind Cluster and STEP Fusion.

The White Paper sets out:

1. The significance of the Midlands to the UK’s transition to a secure, low carbon energy system, and the achievement of related national policy priorities, particularly economic growth, net zero and levelling up.
2. The specific scope, nature and scale of the opportunities in the Midlands to support the energy transition and UK energy security.
3. The challenges and barriers to realising these opportunities, including barriers to private investment, and the risks of not realising them
4. What national policies, policy mechanisms and investment decisions can do to enable the opportunities in the Midlands to be realised – particularly as regards unlocking private sector investment.
5. How government, industry and other partners need to work together to achieve this – including a high-level ‘route map’ for collaborative action.

Read the White Paper here.