The Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition CRC (HILT CRC) is delighted with the announcement from the Federal Government at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Glasgow that Australia will co- lead the global Mission Innovation Net Zero Industry Mission, on de-carbonising industry. HILT CRC is looking forward to taking a lead role in supporting Australia’s participation in achieving the outcomes of this mission by providing tangible research and projects to share internationally.

HILT CRC is the national research centre focussed on reducing emissions from Australia’s Iron and Steel, Alumina and Aluminium and Lime and Cement Industries. Together, these sectors account for about twenty per cent of Australia’s total national emissions.

HILT CRC was awarded $39M by the Australian Government in June 2021. Our Core Industry Partners are AdBri, The University of Adelaide, Alcoa, Australian National University, CSIRO, Curtin University, Fortescue Metals Group, Grange Resources, Liberty, Roy Hill and South 32.

The fundamental tenet of HILT CRC is to show that decarbonising is good business. Our Partners will demonstrate how to use our well known, world class renewable energy resources to decarbonise, sustain and grow their businesses. Companies will be able to compete and grow in the rapidly emerging, global green markets and increase their profitability by producing and processing raw materials on shore without increasing emissions”, according to Susan Jeanes, Chair of the HILT CRC Board.

Professor Gus Nathan, HILT CRC’s Research Director and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide, led the bid for the Federal Government funding. Gus brought together a national and international team of globally recognised experts to work with Australia’s leading companies to collaboratively develop, de-risk and adapt technologies to demonstrate production of low to zero carbon products within a ten-year timeframe.

“Modelling undertaken for the bid by our research partners indicated that the Australian economy stands to lose around $44b if we fail to decarbonise these industries. The technology development, de-risking and adaptation to be undertaken by HILT CRC’s Partners has potential to unlock up to a $120b boost to our economy and an additional 376,000 direct and indirect jobs across our regions”, Professor Nathan said.

The announcement by Mission Innovation at COP26 in Glasgow puts Australia at the centre of the world’s efforts to decarbonise heavy industry and HILT CRC and its Partners are well positioned to bring its collective expertise to this global endeavour.