A programme funding and enabling 30 companies in the Liverpool City Region to collaborate with universities to tackle climate change is on target to cut 3,850 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Eco-I North West, a large-scale research and development initiative, supports small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) from any sector to develop low carbon innovations in partnership with six of the North West’s leading universities – Lancaster, Central Lancashire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Manchester Metropolitan.
Launched in 2020, the three-year programme, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is now working with more than 180 SMEs across the region, including 30 in Liverpool, to create new sustainable technologies, products and services to accelerate the green economic recovery.
With a year remaining, Eco-I NW is on target to help 369 businesses to develop 135 new innovative solutions and remove 3,850 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, supporting the UK government’s target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The success of the programme and its future vision were the focus of an event at Lancaster University called ‘Journeys to Net Zero: Collaboration Showcase’.
More than 200 stakeholders heard from speakers such as Michael Pawlyn, designer of the Eden Project in Cornwall, journalist and author John Robb, Camila Rock De Luigi, the architect behind Eden North, and John Mathias, Liverpool John Moores University’s Eco-I NW project manager, before presentations from some of the SMEs already partnering with universities through Eco-I NW.
Radwraps, based in Birkdale, produces recyclable, antibacterial coated clinical poster systems as an alternative to harmful plastic laminating sheets. It worked with Liverpool John Moores through Eco-I NW on a project to illustrate the impact the solution could have on the NHS and switching from its current process would save almost 250 tonnes of CO2 per year and more than one million hours.
James Maddocks, Director, said, “Plastic laminating sheets are extremely bad for the environment. Paper and plastic are both recyclable in their own form. Combining the two creates a landfill only option at end of use, slowly degrading over 100s of years polluting our wildlife, waterways and children.
“From start to finish Eco-I NW has been fantastic, from initial research through to end use case of the numbers, modelling and forecasting potentials with guidance and advice throughout.”
Eco-I NW is now looking to connect with the next wave of businesses offering access to fully-funded interns from a pool of highly motivated and talented students across the six universities, match-funded postgraduate researchers for more long term projects, and capital grants to fund prototypes, pilots and demonstration systems.
Andy Pickard, Manager of Eco-I NW and the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, said, “This first two years of the Eco-I NW programme have been extremely challenging in view of the pandemic, which highlights the incredible achievement that we have managed to support 180 businesses to lead the region’s transition towards a low carbon economy.
“The key message that came from our showcase event is that Eco-I NW is doing fantastic work to create a melting pot of disruptive innovation, driven by conversation and collaboration. However, to achieve the rapid transition to more sustainable economies and societies in the face of the climate emergency, we need to grow our network of collaborators.
“The North West has the knowledge, people and industry to be world-leading in the transition to a better economy which is sensitive also to the needs of the environment. And with more than 560,000 SMEs in the region, the opportunity for this crucial collective to create green growth is immense.
“This is why I would encourage any small or medium business in the region, whatever their sector and whatever stage of their journey they are on, to make contact with the Eco-I NW team.”
For more information visit https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/global-eco-innovation/business/eco-i-nw 
Image: Courtesy Antao Greer Communications/Eco-I North West
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