M&C At Innovation Zero

It was fantastic for Mark and I to attend Innovation Zero this week – the UK's largest net-zero and sustainability conference. With forums ranging from topics such as Transport & Mobility to Minerals & Materials, it was encouraging to learn about the wealth of innovative technologies being developed in these sectors.

There were a number of technological highlights to take away from the conference. In the field of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), we enjoyed learning about novel catalytic processes to produce SAF via recycling CO₂, thereby creating a circular fuel economy for aviation. Electrofuels – which are produced from carbon dioxide and green hydrogen – were also a key topic of discussion, and it will be especially interesting to see how incoming SAF legislation will impact innovation in this area. Further, direct air capture as a method of extracting CO₂ directly from the atmosphere was also core to a range of technologies on display; in particular, the role of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as adsorbents was emphasised in providing an efficient and cost-effective means to sequester carbon.

Moreover, it was exciting to hear about developments occurring in the alternative proteins sector, including innovation occurring in cultivated meats and fermentation products. With growing interest since 2015, novel foods offer a promising contribution to reaching net zero targets by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing land use gains in a growing population. However, the role of stringent regulation and risk in early stage innovation were discussed as barriers to growth in this sector, with prospective subsidies and increased research being offered as solutions to these challenges.

Overall, we had a busy and enjoyable couple of days, and look forward to seeing what progress is made ahead of next year's event. In the meantime, you can read about how Intellectual Property can support a greener future at our M&C energy transition hub.