Innovation Zero World 2025, the UK’s largest net zero congress, concluded on 30 April. Panels, exhibitions, networking opportunities and award ceremonies showcased a vibrant range of innovation across the net zero community.
Bringing together the most distinguished group of attendees the show has ever welcomed, including thousands of the UK’s most influential energy policy and business decision makers leading the net zero transition, leaders gathered to discuss how to galvanise collective action and collaboration between sectors and stakeholders.
Rising to the challenge
The third iteration of the Congress took place during one of the most consequential years for climate change in recent memory, as speakers rose up to the challenge of facing down growing climate apathy, denialism, and politicisation.
Innovation Zero World was a ‘celebration of possibility, vision, disruption, and innovation’(Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE), as speakers and exhibitors made clear that now is not the time to hesitate, but to put the spotlight squarely upon the massive economic opportunities unlocked through the transition towards a green economy for whole countries and businesses, but also households.
In her opening address, Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE, co-Chair of Innovation Zero World and CEO of the Green Finance Institute, described the event as ‘a two-day celebration of possibility’ and highlighted the importance of mobilising the power of finance to ‘challenge all our critics and channel greater investment in nature-based markets.’
Speakers also touched upon the leading role the UK is set to play. While in conversation with Rhian-Marie Thomas, Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), noted that “the UK has something the rest of the world needs. We have innovation, leadership and we are making progress.”
Investing in an electric future
Investment was recognised as a key pillar for unlocking innovation and cross-sector collaboration. John Flint, Chief Executive Officer at the National Wealth Fund, encouraged businesses and individuals to be bold in their investment and help nurture a ‘much more supportive environment for risk taking.’
In terms of the solutions investment should focus on, many of the speakers touched on the central role electrification will play in moving towards a low carbon economy. In her presentation of the Seventh Carbon Budget, Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of the Climate Change Committee, argued that we are currently ‘in the age of electricity, and the UK is at the vanguard of what an electrified economy looks like.’
Accelerating electrification was also seen as they key to generating public support for the transition, another defining theme of the Congress mentioned consistently throughout the talks. For Pinchbeck, the key priority for the energy sector should be to ‘make electricity cheaper for people. It’s our primary recommendation to government. We have to make the fuel of the future cheap so they can live more comfortable and prosperous lives.’
Senior policymakers and decision makers speaking at the event agreed that coupling electrification and decarbonisation is central to the transition towards net zero. In a roundtable discussion, Chris Stark, Head of UK’s Mission for Clean Power, highlighted how the UK Government is taking bold steps to meet clean power goals by radically reforming the grid connections queue.
Modernising the digital transition
Innovative approaches to the climate challenge were discussed in all shapes and forms, with widespread agreement that digitalisation and AI will play a key role in transforming the energy system.
Sims Witherspoon, Climate Action Lead at Google DeepMind, argued that ‘we need to help people to get ready to use AI to tackle climate change’ and called on the Innovation Zero World audience ‘to get themselves ready to work with AI. Get your data in order and be AI-ready.’
Combining many of the key themes of the day, Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus, told a packed main stage that: ‘We have only just scratched the surface of what we can do with technology and energy. We need to be more ambitious and work in partnership with other companies in our space. Electrification is key. We need a global mission in electrification, and we need to drive innovation by investing more in R&D. Just a fraction more investment in this area would make a difference. Invest in innovation and put customers first!’
Celebrating innovation
Overall, the first day of Innovation Zero World assembled a broad range of trailblazers optimistic about the opportunities collaboration and ambition can unlock. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, was clear: ‘There must be no turning away from net zero.’
Despite the magnitude of the climate crisis, there was no doubt that, by working together, the business and policy communities will be able to find the solutions needed for ‘the creation of a better, cleaner, and healthier future’ (Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE).
In celebration of the groundbreaking innovation going on to achieve today’s objectives, the first day ended with a prestigious award ceremony commending the work of businesses breaking down barriers in terms of what is possible for sustainable innovation. Some of the winners included:
- ZeroAvia, a UK based company, won the Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain award for Promising Solutions, for its 600 kW hydrogen-electric powertrain solution for commercial aviation. This solution can power a 10-20 seat aircraft, using hydrogen fuel to create electricity via fuel cells. The electricity then powers electric motors that drive the propellor(s), with only low temperature water and heat produced as byproducts.
- The Mobility House, a company based in Germany, won the Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain award for Mature Solutions, for their Zero Zero solution: this is the world’s first AC vehicle-to-grid offer, enabling cars to be charged for free with zero emission energy.
- Tozero GmbH, a German-based company, won the Energy & Power award for Mature Solutions for its Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling solution.
Professor Paul Monks CB, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commented: ‘While government can do a lot to support the sector, it is the innovators being celebrated this evening who are making a difference and unlocking the vast potential of the transition.’
