11 ways research and innovation is tackling climate change

So what does this mean? Well in a nutshell the idea is that everyone — governments, businesses and citizens — must join together NOW to help restore nature, combat climate change, and build a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for our children.

The challenges are immense. To reduce carbon emissions to Net Zero we will need to make significant advances in a huge number of technologies. In the transport sector alone we need to develop and commercialise — in record time — powerful batteries to drive the next generation of electric vehicles, as well as develop ammonia, or hydrogen-based technologies to power our ships.

We will need to be bold and innovative to build this new green economy, but we must also do it in a way that is fair and equitable so that no one is left behind.

How do we do this? Researchers and innovators around the world are working on solutions. And the UK is at the very front of this global race against time.

To limit global warming to just 1.5C we need to urgently wean ourselves off fossil fuels. One way to do this is to buy an electric car. Over the next decade it’s expected that most of us will go electric, but to achieve this we will need a network of fast charging stations to replace petrol forecourts.

At the Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO), the consortium is building a new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network, which will allow unprecedented rapid vehicle charging in Oxford. Connected to the National Grid’s high voltage electricity transmission network, the superhub will allow for the addition of new chargers as demand grows. 38 charging points will be installed throughout the city for public use, while charging points will also be installed at several Oxford City Council Depots to charge electric vehicles purchased for the fleet.

Electric vehicles are great because they are a lower carbon emission option. However, their production still has an environmental cost. This could be set to change. Professor Marc Pera Titus, a researcher at Cardiff University, is working to develop cheaper and safer alternatives to lithium-ion batteries which don’t involve the use of unsustainable elements such as lithium and cobalt. The batteries, known as Redox flow batteries (RFBs), could also be used to store energy generated from renewable power.

It’s not just transport that needs to go carbon free. We need to overhaul our manufacturing industries too. Dr Melis Duyar from the University of Surrey is looking at ways to manufacture chemicals for fuels, fertilisers and consumer products in a more environmentally friendly way. Duyar is investigating whether we could essentially pull the building blocks of important chemicals, such as carbon or nitrogen, directly from the air.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) are an important part of the climate equation.

A number of companies are developing CCS technologies. For instance Carbfix, an Icelandic firm, aims to capture carbon dioxide gas emitted at Reykjavik Energy’s Hellisheiði geothermal power plant, convert it into its mineral form, and store it within rocks.

To help Carbfix understand the carbon mineralisation process and monitor how much CO2 can be stored in rocks, scientists at RAL Space have developed the Laser Isotope Ratio Analyser (LIRA) spectrometer. LIRA can be used to monitor the carbon capture and sequestration process.

To test the capabilities of the instrument, the LIRA spectrometer was installed in one of Reykjavik Energy’s turbine halls and coupled to an operational turbine. Over two weeks it was used to take measurements at different sampling points to monitor the isotope ratio of hydrogen sulphide in real time. This isotope ratio will then be used as a marker by geoscientists to track the efficiency of the mineralisation processes, including carbon capture.

We all know that trees suck up and store CO2, that’s why it’s so important to preserve rainforests. However, did you know that algae can also store carbon dioxide? Up to 30 times as much per year as rainforests, in fact.

For the past decade, the team of scientists behind the Brilliant Planet project have been investigating how to grow algae in the desert in Morocco. The aim is to grow the plant at a large enough scale so that it can be used to store carbon.

Their method includes pumping seawater through a series of containers and ponds to encourage exponential growth of the algae. Scientists then harvest the algae using a fine mesh filter to separate it from the seawater. The algae is then dried in the open air of the desert, before being buried 1m to 4m underground where it will remain stable for thousands of years.

Brilliant Planet will now build a new 30-hectare commercial demonstration facility while continuing its fundamental R&D programme based in London. There it will embrace technologies such as remote sensing, oceanography, sensor development and fluid dynamics in order to optimise the growth of the algae.

One important thing we as individuals can do to cut our personal carbon footprint is to drive less and walk or cycle more. However, most cities are not designed so that they are accessible without cars.

The three-year EX-TRA (EXperimenting with city streets to TRAnsform urban mobility) programme is looking at what strategies and designs are most effective at encouraging residents to leave their cars at home.

In a low-carbon future, cities must develop a circular approach to waste disposal. This research project uses the latest in design technology to help innovate safe and sustainable approaches to plastic recycling.

The programme is looking at issues such as obesity and public health, sustainable agriculture, alternative protein sources and consumption patterns. For instance, one project is assessing whether cultured meat is a threat or an opportunity for UK farmers, while another is seeking to improve health through strategic menu design in catered environments.

One of the biggest challenges we face when it comes to cutting our carbon emissions and building a green economy is making sure that the solutions and policies we adopt work for everyone, not just a few. One of the best ways of doing this is to empower communities to make their own climate-related decisions.

Meanwhile closer to home in Balsall Heath, south Birmingham, young people aged 14–18 have joined forces with researchers and planners to create Climania, a new board game for communities to learn about the impact of the built environment on climate change.

For example, in the Nairn River Enterprise Carbon Impact project, The Green Hive charity will work with a researcher to better understand the positive local impact the charity can have on the local environment, as well as community cohesion.

Meanwhile the Knoydart Foundation, who are responsible for 17,500 acres of community-owned land on the Knoydart peninsula, will work with researchers from Agenda Resilience to train local community members to carry out their own carbon audits.

Finally, the Waves of Change project is engaging young people in Newquay on the north Cornish Coast in climate change research. The young participants will work with academics to co-produce animation, inspiring them to take positive climate action and to share their experiences with others.

If you are interested in learning more about ways researchers are tackling the challenges of the climate emergency why not listen to our series of ten ‘Green Thinking’ podcasts.

Each podcast takes a deep dive into the latest thinking and freshest ideas from creating fashion that has less impact on the planet to how we can green the way that our cities work.

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