Decarbonising industry
Emissions baseline
Industry is a significant contributor to GHG emissions in Bradford, accounting for around 18% of the total.
Decarbonising industry
Bradford hosts over 16,000 businesses, generating a combined turnover of £35 billion. Manufacturing employs 24,000 people, which accounts for 12% of district jobs, making Bradford the UK’s 4th largest city for manufacturing employment.
However, manufacturing is also responsible for 18% of Bradford’s total GHG emissions, and faces challenges from rising energy costs, largely due to fossil-fuelgenerated heat. Industrial decarbonisation offers a transformational opportunity which would yield longterm cost savings and secure competitive advantage.
Developed and led by the Council, Bradford Manufacturing Futures (BMF) was established as a cross-sector partnership which included nine local organisations, including businesses and the University of Bradford.
It is one of 13 Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan (LIDP) projects which have been funded by Innovate UK and will conclude in 2025.
The partnership continues to provide a collaborative platform to share the responsibility and knowledge to support the transition to renewable energy sources for over 30 manufacturers in some of the highest emitting sectors, including chemicals, food, basic metals, mineral products and metal fabrication.
The project aims to cut manufacturing emissions by 90% by 2038 as outlined in the strategic Decarbonisation Roadmap and Investment Prospectus and identifies investment opportunities in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, such as heat pumps, solar PV, wind, hydrogen, and biomethane. These efforts are expected to protect 24,000 jobs and create further employment growth for the district.
Our Future Ready Pathway suggests that to reach our district’s emissions reduction target of 82% by 2038, fuel-switching in industry needs to take place as rapidly as possible, resulting in a 2038 fuel mix of 38% grid electricity, 35% solar, 8% wind, 10% low-carbon hydrogen, and just 10% natural gas.
Mitigation and adaptation actions
- Industrial decarbonisation leadership via Bradford Manufacturing Futures (BMF)
- Promote Bradford Industrial Decarbonisation Prospectus
- Develop BMF training opportunities
- Develop BMF Sustainability Leaders of the Future programme
