British multinational telecommunications company BT announced on 1 December phase two of its Green Tech Innovation Platform (TIP), to fast-track cutting-edge new digital solutions to help manufacturers cut their carbon emissions and progress towards a circular world.

Following the initial scouting phase supported by Plug and Play, the second phase sees rising innovative start-ups RIIICO, Sensorfact and Circularise joining the platform. In partnership with BT and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), they will begin proof of concept (PoC) activities to prove their impact for UK manufacturers.

A joint report by BT and Accenture has forecast that tech, including 5G, can help reduce carbon emissions from the manufacturing sector by 13% by 2030 (the equivalent of 1.3 Gt CO2e). The three start-ups have been selected to solve some of the sustainability challenges with the biggest impact on the carbon-intensive manufacturing sector, applying digital solutions to:

• Redesign legacy manufacturing processes with a sustainability lens
• Deliver energy efficiency on the shop floor
• Drive circularity and transparency in supply chains

The chosen start-ups will help develop solutions based on their expertise in the following technologies:

• RIIICO helps manufacturers create resilient and transparent digital factory designs; ensuring they’re prepared for the future. It does this by using a combination of 3D scanning to inform Digital Twins (digital versions of physical environments) augmented by artificial intelligence (AI) to enable people and computers to remodel and enhance that environment. This approach reduces modelling time by 95% and is also reducing data maintenance costs by 25%.
• Sensorfact work with small manufacturers to reduce their energy bill and carbon footprint by eliminating energy waste in a smart and easy way through sensors. Sensorfact have already helped over 1,000 manufacturing companies across north-western Europe save an average of 5-10% on their electricity bill.
• Circularise  helps suppliers to trace materials, share sensitive data without risking privacy, and automate mass reporting using blockchain software. This helps businesses and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to get visibility into their own Scope 3 emissions, preparing them for upcoming supply chain sustainability regulations, and enabling a circular economy at scale.

David Wrout, Principal – Digital Supply Chain, Enterprise Digital Solutions at BT, said: “We have set a target to help customers avoid 60million tonnes of CO2e by 2030 through our products and services, and Green TIP phase two allows us to do this. By using the power of digital, we can drive sustainability impact throughout the value chain and help our customers with the transition to net zero. We are really excited about the opportunities we can explore with the three innovative start-ups we’ve selected in phase two for our manufacturing customers.”

Alejandra Matamoros, Technology Manager at Manufacturing Technology Centre adds: “The MTC is pleased to be working with BT on the Green TIP to support manufacturers in trialling the selected technologies, proving their potential to help them reach their sustainability targets and show other businesses alike how to make progress towards a greener manufacturing industry”.

The next phase of Green TIP sees BT, MTC and the three start-ups collaborating on PoCs to see how different solutions and applications can support the UK based manufacturing sector. Manufacturing companies interested in taking part should complete an online form here stating which solution they’d like to hear more about and why. 

Press release