CLF provides industry input to BEIS Advanced Materials Consultation

The Composites Leadership Forum (CLF), working with organisations across the composite materials supply chain, developed a combined industry response to the recent BEIS call for evidence on advanced materials.

Key points highlighted in the response:

Net Zero

• Composites are an essential part of the UK plan to deliver NetZero.
• Life cycle analysis measurement techniques and a database of verifiable materials data to facilitate uptake of new lower embodied carbon materials is essential.

Resilience

• Global requirement for carbon fibre is predicted to out-strip global capacity by 2025. Without a source of composite materials, products such as wind turbine blades, hydrogen pressure vessels, aircraft wings etc. cannot be manufactured.
• An understanding of the future composite material supply chain requirement to deliver key Government policies such as NetZero is urgently needed.

Industry Growth

• Global demand for composites is growing by 6- 8% CAGR until 2030.
• In the CLF’s 2016 strategy the UK Composites Industry was predicted to grow to £12.5 billion by 2030. Taking into account the demand now expected be made on the industry by NetZero requirements, this is expected to be significantly higher.
• The UK is world leading in research into composite materials but often fails to secure commercialisation of these ideas in the UK, thereby stifling industry growth, due to lack of funding through the innovation valley of death (TRL4+).
• The UK is world-leading in design and production of composite aerospace structures. Support is needed to take advantage of the Advanced Air Mobility market, predicted to be $510bn globally by 2040.
• Increased industry recognition of the need to recycle means composite Industry growth will be stifled without support to develop a cross-sector recycling supply chain.

Craig Carr, Chair of the CLF commented: “Development of a robust composite supply chain is essential to enable to UK to meet its NetZero targets as set out by government. This document highlights the strengths and gaps in the UK to enable this.”

www.compositesuk.co.uk

www.compositesleadershipforum.com