Net-Zero Industries Mission

About NIM

As part of the Mission Innovation initiative, 10 countries and their respective governments agreed to commit to the objectives of the Net-Zero Industries Mission (NIM).

These members are Australia and Austria (Co-Leads of the Mission), Canada, China, European Commission, Finland, Germany, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom and the United States.

Their commitment to the Mission’s objectives is reflected in their agreement to the NetZero Industries Mission – Mission Statement and Action Plan.

A more detailed description of the Action Plan is reflected in the NIM Roadmap document.

Who We Are

The Net-Zero Industries Mission (NIM) is one of the 7 Missions the Mission Innovation (MI) initiative intends to deliver on. MI is a global initiative to catalyse action and investment in research, development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible to all this decade. NIM will focus on supporting the acceleration of adoption of cost competitive solutions in the hard-to-abate energy intensive industries worldwide by 2030.

Our Goal

The essential goal of the NIM is to catalyse the development and demonstration of cost competitive solutions for the efficient decarbonisation of hard to abate energy intensive industries worldwide by 2030. Targets/Milestones to achieve this goal include:

Implement at least two large-scale demonstration projects for each of the Mission’s key innovation fields and sectors;
Fast-track the development to TRL 8 of new and radical breakthrough low emissions technologies;
Target a reduction of more than 15% in the Capex of low emissions innovative technologies

What We Do

The Net-Zero Industries Mission (NIM) Missions bring together dynamic and delivery-focused high ambition alliances between countries, corporations, investors and research institutes that set global stretch goals and provide momentum to make sure more innovation happens, more rapidly.

Sharing knowledge and creating confidence in the use of innovative solutions will be key to the success of this mission. To this end, knowledge sharing both between pillars and externally with existing networks and platforms will create alignment and a coordinated effort to emission reductions.

Knowing that innovation will be most effective if countries are able to share some of the high development and investment risks the members of the mission aim to foster:

Increasing, connecting and aligning both national and multinational RD&D efforts into a challenge driven initiative
Novel technology cooperation to reduce “time to market”
Joining forces with existing networks organisations and platforms to raise awareness, create knowledge and confidence in the use of innovative solutions

See below the mission’s structured overview and framework of technology options in the decarbonization of industrial processes in relevant sectors.

Industrial Sectors

Iron & Steel

Cement & Lime

Chemicals & Refining

Other Energy Intensive & Hard to Abate

Pathways

Fuel Switch

Alternate fuels & feedstocks

Use of alternative fuels (bioenergy & waste)

Alternative fuels (incl biomass)

Biomass, H₂, Ammonia and plastic waste as an alternative feedstock

Alternative fuels (incl biomass)

Low-carbon hydrogen

Direct reduction using H₂

Integrated H₂ production for CCU

Integrated production of Hydrogen

Replacing NG with H₂

Electrification of production & processes

Direct reduction using electricity, adaptation of electric arc furnaces

Electrification of sintering and calcination processes. Electrochemical formulation of calcium hydroxide

Electrification of crackers and chemical processes

Steam electrification and furnace / kiln / calciner conversion

Digitalisation & flexibilisation

Process control and automation, digital twins and simulation, temperature upgrade of excess heat, smart management of variable energy resources such as PV and wind power, hybridisation of different sources, excess heat to power or cold, flexibility in power generation / utilisation including bottleneck management and redispatch

Carbon capture & storage / utilisation

Direct capture and separation, and adsorption / absorption of CO2 process and combustion emissions and its storage The capture, purification, and valorisation of CO2 into chemicals, polymers synthetic/alternative fuels and raw materials, and also the use of CO2 exhaust gases in other processes

Alternative materials & more efficient processes

Improved thermal efficiency, waste heat recovery, regenerative burners, process efficiency, alternative binding materials in cements and alternatives to carbon-based feedstocks such as coking coal

Materials efficiency & industrial symbiosis

Harnessing by-products from one industry as alternative inputs to another industry and technical upgrading of by-products, industrial symbiosis, carbonation of mineral residues

The focus is on R&D topics for TRL 1-9 (TRL low: 1-3, medium: 4-6, high: 7-9). The list is not a prioritisation, but a structured overview and framework for technology options in relevant sectors for the mission as well as supporting the identification of cross-cutting issues to other sectors than the prioritised ones.