Net Zero Industry Wales Expands: Fresh Leadership and Partnerships for a Sustainable Future

The independent body which supports Welsh industry on the delivery of net zero, Net Zero Industry Wales (NZIW), is entering a new chapter to help accelerate decarbonisation in Wales.

Welcoming new board members and forging fresh partnerships, this bold new phase comes just over two years after the not-for-profit body was established in 2022.

NZIW’s independent guidance and support empowers Welsh businesses to build greener futures — using grassroots collaboration to help identify and overcome barriers on decarbonisation projects, from funding pressures to capacity limitations.

To date, NZIW has put collaborative partnerships front and centre — supporting RWE in delivering £19 million of grant funding for the South Wales Industrial Cluster deployment project, with the other project partners. It is also supporting the North East Wales Industrial Decarbonisation Cluster (NEWID) in developing an industrial decarbonisation plan for North-East Wales, which is set to be published in early 2025.

Now, NZIW will tackle the challenge of resource constraints impacting the approval process on decarbonisation projects — through a brand-new agreement with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), revealed today (24 October 2024).

With this new contract in place, NZIW will support NRW in expediting the decision-making process through provision of additional resource and specialist expertise— providing confidence to investors and developers, whilst prioritising the health of our communities and the natural environment. Some of the key objectives from the contract includes reducing the time taken for developers to understand what is required of them from regulators alongside providing support that addresses skill shortages, manages backlogs and provides specialist capability for complex and novel projects.

Sarah Jennings, Executive Director of Communications, Customer and Commercial at NRW, said: “Helping Wales achieve its net zero goals is one of our most important priorities as we work to deliver our vision for a land where nature and people thrive together.

“Our new agreement with NZIW will ensure that NRW has the capacity to address the resource issues which have impacted our ability to respond quickly to challenges in the past.

“We look forward to working closely with NZIW to assist our Welsh industries as they deliver a decarbonised future.”

Powering these sustainable solutions, alongside NZIW CEO, Ben Burggraaf, are new team members Stuart McMillan and Justin Davis — appointed as Membership Services Manager and Research and Projects Manager, respectively.

Stuart and Justin will continue to play a vital role in driving collaboration across Wales — assisting on the management of NZIW-led projects whilst supporting members (including those leading the Industrial Clusters — Associated British Ports, RWE and The Royal Mint) with project inception, funding applications and the delivery of decarbonisation projects.

Working closely with the team is new Chair of the NZIW Board, Michelle T. Davies, who brings a wealth of expertise from her role as Global Head of Sustainability at EY and will be advising clients across energy transition, climate and all aspects of sustainability.

Speaking on her new role, Michelle said: “NZIW’s mission to make Wales the country of choice for all things sustainable really struck a chord with me, and so I am delighted to be taking up the position of Chair of the Board. I look forward to working closely with colleagues and partners towards a low-carbon industrial future for Wales and helping Wales secure the investment it needs and deserves.”

Ben Burggraaf, CEO of NZIW, said: “Our new contract with NRW is a key example of the partnerships that NZIW develops to bridge the gap between the public and private sector. If we want to truly address and overcome barriers to decarbonising Welsh industry, then it is vital to develop solutions, through the power of collaboration that are aligned with the Wellbeing of Future Generation Act and the goals that are set within this act.

Ben continues, “NZIW has been making new strides to accelerate the ways in which we can support a thriving and sustainable industry in Wales and having Michelle, Stuart and Justin join us on that journey will catalyse and power our progression towards our mission to make Wales the country of choice for producing sustainable products and services.

“As we approach the end of 2024, we are looking forward to supporting the establishment of industry led working groups in hydrogen, transmission and distribution. Plus, we’ll be launching our second EmpowerCymru conference — aimed at bringing together industries, investors, public sector organisations and thought-leaders to help us mobilise Wales on its journey to net zero.”