Low Carbon Industrial Strategy (LCIS)

The UK's Low Carbon Industrial Strategy (LCIS) aimed to ensure that British businesses and workers are equipped to maximise the opportunities and limit the costs of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. It set out the areas of greatest opportunity for businesses, and a programme to assist them in seizing such opportunities. High-opportunity sectors are: - Offshore wind; - Civil nuclear power; - Carbon capture and storage (CCS); - Ultra-low carbon vehicles; - Low-carbon buildings and construction; - Low-carbon aerospace; - Chemicals and industrial biotechnology; - Low-carbon electronics and ICT (Information and Communication Technologies); - Business and financial services; and - Carbon markets. The Strategy included specific support for certain low-carbon sectors, including low-carbon energy sources. Measures include up to GBP 120 million for the development of an offshore wind industry, GBP 60 million for a package of measures to accelerate wave and tidal energy development and deployment, and capital investment of GBP 15 million for a Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to facilitate joint development and production of high quality nuclear components by around 30 companies. Several funding initiatives also targeted electric vehicles, with GBP 230 million for consumer incentives to reduce the price of electric and plug-in hybrid cars from 2011, GBP 30 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure development, and the establishment of a cross-Whitehall Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). In addition GBP 6 million in funding supported the construction of 60 or more low-carbon affordable homes, GBP 12 million allocated for a new open access demonstrator facility for fermentation of up to 10 tonnes for industrial biotechnologies, and a fund of GBP 2.5million over the next two years will support SMEs in using the facility. The Manufacturing Advisory Service was expanded, with GBP 4 million in funding, to provide specialist advice to manufacturers on competing for low carbon opportunities, including support for suppliers for the civil nuclear industry. General priorities for low-carbon development included greater energy efficiency, smarter low-carbon procurement and the construction or retrofit of low carbon buildings. A suite of measures to facilitate the commercialisation of low-carbon innovation and research were also outlined in the LCIS. Budget 2009 allocated additional funding of GBP 450 million to support low-carbon industries and advanced green manufacturing, GBP 50 million for the Technology Strategy Board, and GBP 90 million for detailed design and development work for the CCS demonstration competition. The UK Innovation Investment Fund was also been created, with an initial GBP 150 million of government investment. The Fund will address the financing gap occurring just before new technologies reach the marketplace. The government hopes the Fund will reach GBP 1 billion over the next ten years. Government support for low-carbon innovation will also be co-ordinated and easily accessible. The Strategy is not current and does not represent current government policy.

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