10069181Mid and East Antrim Net Zero Business (MEANZ Business)ClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKThe Mid and East Antrim Net Zero Business (MEANZ Business) project will include delivery of a tailored programme of engagement, support and dissemination on net zero to a range of stakeholders, with a focus on targeting c400 relevant businesses in the Borough (excluding farming, retail and hospitality sectors). A key reason for the business focus is that MEABC has already invested in employing a dedicated sustainability team to deliver on its core Council service functions and service areas where it has statutory responsibility and where impacts of climate change are increasingly becoming a key consideration. The MEANZ project and Net Zero Officer (NZO) appointed as part of it, although focused primarily on support to businesses will work with the internal MEABC teams to ensure alignment, share learnings and disseminate information. The focus on businesses is also because MEABC has well-established links and strong engagement with some 400 businesses via our unique Business Growth support team who provide a range of growth programmes for SME's and our local Manufacturing Task Force (MTF) which includes some of the larger companies in the Borough, set up in 2018 in response to a number of economic shocks. MTF membership has expanded into the energy and logistics sectors as well as to include relevant stakeholders and via the MTF umbrella, MEABC's Economic Development Team has developed a series of offerings in the CleanTech sector including initiatives with a strong focus on the emerging **hydrogen** economy e.g. the pilot Hydrogen Training Academy ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC8CDVHsrSA][0]) the first-of-its-kind in the UK/Ireland supporting the UK Government's Net Zero ambitions by delivering practical hydrogen training for industry, utilising bespoke practical training labs. This strong link with companies is in itself innovative within the local authority landscape which adds value to the overall benefits which can be derived from this project. Whilst partners are making significant headway in developing a pathway to net zero, with collaboration, innovation and skills being key enabling drivers, a funding award from Fast Followers for a dedicated resource would be transformative, helping to accelerate our delivery plans, improve delivery pathways, allow adoption at scale of innovative products and services and remove the non-technical barriers we have experienced in transitioning to net zero. Feedback from local industry in recent times is that they need more support around the area of net zero and this new role would help close the disconnect for these innovative businesses. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC8CDVHsrSA