Environment Secretary visits University of Brighton’s Clean Growth UK

Clean Growth UK is a national business-innovation network led by University of Brighton's Green Growth Platform, with further hubs at universities of Portsmouth (Greentech South) and Liverpool John Moores. To date the network has attracted 2,000 members from across the UK, helping them access university know-how and equipment for a diverse range of innovation and research and development (R&D) needs.

Clean Growth UK has supported businesses to secure over £15m million in research and development funding to develop new green products and services. Their innovation and commercialisation support has helped create or safeguard over 700 new green jobs in diverse areas including zero-emission electric bikes, modelling for flood risks and dealing with waste.

The University of Brighton's Clean Growth UK team also supports businesses to access funding opportunities, including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovate UK Smart Grants and the Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE) business grant scheme.

George Eustice and Zoe Osmond with leaders of local SMEs using Green Growth Platform

The ministerial visit to The Depot arts cinema in Lewes – another beneficiary of input from the Green Growth Platform – comes on the back of the government’s commitment for the UK to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 and reach net zero by 2050 and, ahead of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow in November, of driving a green industrial revolution.

Zoë Osmond, Director for Clean Growth UK, said: “The UK leads the world in climate change legislation and targets and today we discussed the challenges our SMEs face when innovating and growing the clean-green businesses we need for a net zero, nature positive world.

“We now need a set of clear, long-term policies for climate and nature to enable businesses to invest, grow the green economy and turbo-charge the green revolution. This will lead to a welcome growth in skilled green jobs and ensure our COVID recovery is truly green and equitable.”

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “As we look ahead to COP26, our green industrial revolution and our Plan for Jobs are helping create new green jobs across the whole country.

“It was brilliant to see this in action today at Clean Growth UK and hear how the organisation is both boosting the local economy and supporting the nation’s drive to become net zero by 2050.”

Local companies

Three local companies who have benefited from Clean Growth UK's support also met with the Environment Secretary to share their experience. They were:

Medisort

Medisort collects, processes and disposes of healthcare waste in the south-east, which includes children’s nappies and adult incontinence products. The company accessed University of Brighton expertise via a Knowledge Transfer Partnership project and participated in the peer-to-peer Profitnet programme. This enabled them to develop the technology required to become a pioneering UK dedicated nappy waste treatment and recovery facility. Over the coming months this will help increase the amount of recyclable waste, improve the segregation route for materials and reduce the costs associated with recycling and incineration.

Zedify

Zedify uses zero-emission electric cargo bikes to run a delivery network around cities in the UK, delivering items across congested urban environments including food, office supplies, textiles and print media. The company started in Brighton & Hove, and following support from the Green Growth Platform via the Profitnet programme it now operates in nine UK cities and has more than 100 staff.

Ambiental Environmental Assessment

Ambiental Environmental Assessment uses complex data and sophisticated computer modelling to predict flood risks. The assessments help developers, banks, insurers, planners and government agencies make informed decisions to protect people’s lives, properties and businesses. By partnering with the Green Growth Platform, the company accessed master student skills to support flood modelling development, enabling the students to build their own experience and careers while supporting the business to get skilled help where it is needed most.