I had the opportunity to attend the Net Zero Nations Conference in London on behalf of Colloide. The event brought together thought leaders, solution providers, and public sector voices all committed to accelerating the UK’s transition to Net Zero. It was an energising day, rich in insight and innovation and it’s clear that meaningful collaboration is the heartbeat of progress in this space. 

The day began with an impactful keynote from Dr Austin of the Greater London Authority, who underscored the urgency of creating greener, healthier homes with a strong emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable in our communities. His message was clear; retrofitting and decarbonisation need scalable private sector investment and strong supplier collaboration. It set the tone for the conversations that followed. 

From there, I was particularly inspired by Dan Meredith of E.ON, who spoke passionately about the future of Smart Local Energy Systems. E.ON’s strategic partnership with Coventry City Council; a 15-year deal to deliver citywide energy solutions, is a bold move that demonstrates what’s possible when long-term vision meets infrastructure. Their innovative Ectogrid technology, which ensures heat is not wasted, is an efficient energy system that could be a game changer! 

Another highlight came from Alina Gheorghiu-Currie at Vattenfall, whose mission of enabling Fossil Fuel Freedom resonates deeply with Colloide’s vision. Vattenfall’s district heat projects across London, Bristol, and Midlothian showcase the power of partnerships and localised solutions. Particularly compelling was their focus on waste heat from recycling centres and even mining operations, a powerful reminder of the untapped energy resources we often overlook. 

Other standout sessions included contributions from: 

Armstrong’s Junaid Ashraf, advocating for sector coupling and integrated system design. 

The NHS East London Infrastructure team, who emphasised that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a public health emergency. 

The Heat Pump Federation, who reminded us that London generates enough waste heat to warm 800,000 homes, and called for a mindset shift from “we’ve always done it this way” to community-driven ownership. 

EdenSeven, whose data platform, links project carbon tracking with AI is something with potential for Colloide as we explore enhanced data integration. 

In the networking space, I connected with representatives from Cotality, Centreco, Novus, Intergas, ADEPT, the Energy Saving Trust, Unyte Group, and many more. A particular highlight was speaking with EdenSeven about carbon-tracking across entire supply chains, which could support future OKRs and reporting for Social Value. 

The overarching theme? We won’t achieve Net Zero by doing things the same way. The need for radical collaboration, bold thinking, and data-driven action came through loud and clear. 

Colloide will continue to contribute to this national mission in collaboration with our clients and partners. The event also served as a strong reminder of the internal steps we can take, from reviewing how we heat our own buildings and operate our fleet, to exploring zero-carbon materials in our Limavady production space expansion. 

The Net Zero journey is as much about mindset as it is about technology. At Colloide, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of this transition and partnering with others who share our drive to engineer a brighter, more sustainable future. 

If you’re working on a Net Zero initiative and see synergy, we’d welcome the opportunity to collaborate. Get in touch!

Gold Partners: Novus Property Solutions, Eon, Unyte Group, SWIP, VATTENFALL, Intergas Heating Solutions, Armstrong, Heliox, Edenseven, Next Energy, Centreco, Surrey County Council, Greater London Authority, REA, NHS North East London, Heat Pump Federation, Energy Saving Trust, EZOO, Greener Vision

Silver Partners: Cotality

Delegate Badge Sponsor: Colloide

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