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Case Study

Action Plan – CCU Sector Innovation

A strategic study mapping Scotland’s carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) opportunities and developing an action plan to accelerate industrial decarbonisation and sustainable manufacturing.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

This study investigated opportunities for carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) in Scotland, specifically to contribute to the Scottish Government’s commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, the Just Transition and to support sustainable manufacturing with a focus on the Grangemouth area. Part-funded by the Interreg Northern Connections project and delivered for Scottish Enterprise and Falkirk Council, the study investigated collaborative business opportunities across the North Sea Region.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

Map the innovation value chain that could support the deployment of CCU in Scotland
Review the strategies deployed by other regions and countries
Identify specific opportunities for Scottish industry
Develop an action plan to accelerate the development and adoption of CCU technologies in Scotland

Map the innovation value chain that could support the deployment of CCU in Scotland
Review the strategies deployed by other regions and countries
Identify specific opportunities for Scottish industry
Develop an action plan to accelerate the development and adoption of CCU technologies in Scotland




OUR APPROACH

The study had three key stages, each with extensive industry, academic and public sector stakeholder engagement:

  1. Value chain analysis to map out the specific opportunity for CCU, detailing the focus of technology and establishing the position of Scottish companies in the value chain
  2. Analyse the innovation system around the value chain and specific opportunities
  3. Facilitate an industry and stakeholder workshop with a focussed agenda on the specific opportunity, the challenges identified and development of an action plan

DELIVERY TEAM

Iain Weir
Senior Consultant
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Deborah Creamer
Managing Director & Senior Consultant
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Mark Morrison
Senior Consultant
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OUTPUTS AND IMPACTS

The study delivered the following:

  • Identification of key industry and academic players that are developing and delivering CCU solutions in Scotland
  • Identification of intermediaries that could support the adoption of CCU
  • Identification of the appetite for CCU amongst industrial emitters
  • Identification of the key barriers to CCU adoption, i.e. lack of evidence to make a business case, costs, lack of regulatory or legislative drivers, and lack of a natural ‘leader’ to drive CCU adoption and deployment
  • Analysis of approaches that other regions and countries have taken to stimulate and support CCU, including public and private funding and investment, and fiscal incentives
  • An action plan to address challenges and opportunities through the following options:
    • Feasibility studies to investigate company-specific opportunities
    • Demonstration facility to evaluate CCU technologies in the context of pseudo-industrial settings
    • Innovation competition to address specific opportunities
    • Sector innovation network to coordinate CCU in Scotland

In the context of the Northern Connections project, this enabled the delivery of a successful transnational CCU Living Lab event in January 2020, that highlighted Scotland’s strengths and collaboration opportunities across the North Sea Region.

A follow-on study was commissioned to develop the sustainable manufacturing campus concept design, that will house a CCU demonstrator Hub and Industrial Biotechnology centre of excellence, and, separately, NECCUS was launched to coordinate industrial decarbonisation in Scotland with a focus on CCUS and hydrogen.

Iain Weir

Senior Consultant

I’m Iain Weir, formerly Managing Director of Optimat.  I joined Optimat in 1990 and now have over 35 years’ experience of strategy, innovation and economic development consultancy. I am now working part-time as a senior consultant as a stepping stone to retirement in the future.

During my time at Optimat, I’ve worked to support company growth, innovation and economic development across a range of sectors, and I enjoy working with clients to turn data and insight into meaningful action.  I’m proud to have had an integral role over that time in developing Optimat into an internationally recognised strategy consultancy.

One of my key areas of expertise is the development of the low carbon economy, a topic of increasing importance for today’s industries.  I think this is a challenging area for industry and the public sector to address as there can be several solutions offered to reduce carbon impacts, often without a strong evidence base to support their use. I enjoy pursuing an evidence-based analyses of these options to provide valuable insights to stakeholders.

Before joining Optimat, I worked in research and development in the electro-optic materials sector, developing and marketing innovative high-tech materials for a range of applications.  This industrial experience has strongly influenced my approach to assisting companies with their innovation activities.

I hold a BSc (1st class Hons) in Chemistry, a PhD in Chemistry, and an MBA.  I think this strong scientific background has enabled me to pursue an evidence-based and analytical approach to consultancy.

Deborah Creamer

Managing Director

I’m Deborah Creamer, the Managing Director of Optimat. I’m passionate about helping organisations and businesses make smarter, evidence-based decisions, especially when it comes to innovation, technology, and long-term growth.

I’ve been part of the Optimat team since 1998, specialising in strategic industrial analysis for high-tech sectors. Over the years, I’ve built up a deep understanding of what drives success in innovation and economic development, and I enjoy working with clients to turn data and insight into meaningful action.

I specialise in advanced materials and manufacturing and the industries in which they play a key role – ranging from aerospace to medical devices. My particular area of expertise is in funding for innovation, spanning a broad spectrum from evaluating R&D and innovation funding application to developing business cases for significant innovation assets in Scotland and the UK. I’ve supported many organisations to craft successful funding applications whether that is for a small R&D project or a state-of-the-art innovation centre and it’s incredibly rewarding to help secure the backing that great ideas need to become reality. Ibelieve in the power of innovation, collaboration, and practical thinking to create lasting impact, for businesses, industries, and communities.

Before joining Optimat, my career started in materials R&D and new product development, working with BP International and Bourns Electronics Inc. That hands on industry experience gave me a solid foundation in how technologies evolve and get to market.

I hold a BSc (Hons) in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, an MBA, and I’m a Chartered Engineer.

Mark Morrison

Senior Consultant

I’m Mark, a Senior Consultant at Optimat. I specialise in life sciences and sustainability, working closely with clients to help them understand new technology and market opportunities as well as workforce skills requirements to enable these to become reality.

I’ve been with Optimat since 2015 and worked with a range of public sector clients to deliver insightful market and sector analyses in subject areas including synthetic biology, chemical manufacturing, carbon capture utilisation and storage, medical devices, decarbonised transport, and renewable energy. I’ve also supported private sector clients to secure grant funding from Scottish, UK and European agencies, and have coordinated a number of European Commission funded projects.

Before joining Optimat I was the CEO of the Institute of Nanotechnology, a not-for-profit organisation that was instrumental in raising the profile and opportunities in nanotechnology for UK and European businesses. This provided me with first-hand experience of engaging and collaborating with a range of stakeholders in private, public and third sector organisations across Europe.

I hold a BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology from the University of Glasgow and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Manchester.