Reports
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Agro-Food System Innovation without Greenhouse Gas emissions | 2025 | UKFIRES |
Our agricultural and food system affects all of us but would need to undergo complete transformation in order for us to completely eliminate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. |
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Construction under Absolute Zero | 2023 | UKFIRES |
The construction industry will be transformed in a zero-emission society; from the choice of materials, their production and the design of structures, to the organisation of towns and cities. The built environment is a great enabler of other transformations in the way we work, play and live, and... |
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Energy Sector Under Absolute Zero | 2022 | UKFIRES |
As the government launches its Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) focusing on electricity supply, UK FIRES publishes a new report detailing the even greater scale of opportunity for energy sector innovation on the demand side. Where new installation of renewable supply is... |
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Materials & Manufacturing under Absolute Zero | 2022 | UKFIRES |
Facing the reality that new energy-sector technologies won’t solve climate change fast enough reveals rich opportunities for innovation and growth in UK materials and manufacturing sectors. UK law commits us to zero emissions by 2050 with most of the reduction occurring by 2035. But we’re not on... |
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Minus 45 | 2021 | UKFIRES |
Ahead of COP26, the UK Government has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution to global climate mitigation which requires a 45% reduction in UK emissions from 2018 to 2030. Even if all planned new generation is delivered on time, the government’s pledge can only be met with significant... |
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Entrepreneurs Not Emissions | 2021 | UKFIRES |
The gap between the UK’s emissions-reduction targets and its delivery policies creates a vast and largely unexplored space for entrepreneurship and business growth. Reaching zero emissions within one generation depends on electrification, but we won’t have as much non-emitting electricity as we’... |
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ZERPAs | 2021 | UKFIRES |
In the rapid transition to net zero, demand is likely to exceed supply for three zero-emissions resources: non-emitting electricity, biomass and negative emissions. ZERPAs are a new financial instrument that allow capital markets to anticipate this shortage, evaluate risks and redirect capital... |
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Steel Arising | 2019 |
The global steel industry is transforming from using iron ore to recycling scrap. Global arisings of steel scrap are likely to treble in the next thirty years and we will never need more blast furnaces than we have today. The extent and speed of this global transformation depends on two... |
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Absolute Zero | 2019 | UKFIRES, Cambridge Electric Cement, tickzero |
We have to cut our greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050: that’s what climate scientists tell us, it’s what social protesters are asking for and it’s now the law in the UK. But we aren’t on track. For twenty years we’ve been trying to solve the problem with new or breakthrough technologies... |
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Industrial Metamorphosis | 2017 |
In January 2017 the UK Government launched a consultation on its “Building our Industrial Strategy” green paper. The consultation period saw significant political change with the triggering of Article 50 and a call for a general election. These political events delayed the publication of the... |
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Construction 2025 | 2017 |
A prospectus for meeting the UK government's 'Construction 2025' ambitions for capital carbon emissions: |
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WholeSEM - Modelling energy systems | 2016 |
Energy policy in the UK, which seeks a balance between costs, security of supply and commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is influenced by the forecasts of whole system energy models. The value of these forecasts depends on predictions of costs and technical capability, and practical... |
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A bright future for UK steel | 2016 | WellMet 2050 |
Professor Julian Allwood, Head of the Use Less Group, argues that British steel could be saved, if the industry is willing to transform itself. This report was published in response to Tata Steel's withdrawal from the UK in April 2016. It offers an alternative to the proposed responses,... |
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HOSANA: Whole Systems Analysis | 2014 | WholeSEM |
Devising swift responses to critical mineral supply capacity risks and disruptions: The business risks of material criticality are not that the earth’s reserves will be consumed, but are that the supply chain cannot respond rapidly enough to demand or supply shocks. Managing this risk... |
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Land Rover Defender - Stories of Use | 2014 | WellMet 2050 |
Cars may be one of the most costly household purchases, but they follow the same long term trend as other material goods, towards shorter useful lifetimes and diminished repair-ability. They are largely seen by owners as closed objects, to be bought and sold and only repaired by experts. They... |
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WellMet 2050 - Taking our metal temperature | 2011 | WellMet 2050 |
Existing process chains for producing components in steel and aluminium are typically long, spread over multiple locations, and involve many thermal cycles. Can we streamline fabrication? WellMet2050 investigated novel methods of meeting global carbon emissions targets for steel... |
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WellMet 2050 - Prolonging our metal life | 2011 | WellMet 2050 |
Steel and aluminium products are discarded due to wear, breakage or obsolescence of function or style, but often the definition of end of life is subjective and opportunities exist to carry on using the product with additional upgrades or maintenance. Additionally, during the lifetime of the... |
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WellMet 2050 - Going on a metal diet | 2011 | UKFIRES |
Today, metal is used wastefully in products and their manufacture. The emissions associated with steel and aluminium are directly related to the mass consumed, and therefore efficient product design and high yield in manufacturing is desired. Can we use less metal in making products?... |
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WellMet 2050 - Conserving our Metal Energy | 2010 | WellMet 2050 | |
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Well Dressed: Technical Annex | 2006 | Well Dressed? | |
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Well Dressed | 2006 | Well Dressed? |