£10 million investment in
research and development of new materials technologies to help meet
energy challenges
TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
BOARD News Release issued by The Government News Network on 7
August 2008
* Technology
Strategy Board and Engineering & Physical Sciences Research
Council to invest in sixteen innovative research and development projects
* Total value of projects in excess of £20 million
The Technology Strategy Board and Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) are to jointly invest over £10
million in sixteen innovative research and development projects
into materials technologies that will help meet the country's
energy challenges.
The investments will support the research and development of
materials technologies that offer solutions to problems within the
sector. The focus of the projects will be on the development of
technologies and materials for energy generation, transmission
& distribution, storage and conservation.
The projects, which have a total value in excess of £20 million,
include research and development in areas such as:
- Energy efficient bio-based natural fibre insulation
- New materials and methods for energy efficient tidal turbines
- A new manufacturing process to produce a novel cellular vacuum
insulation panel for retrofit into buildings, to reduce heat loss
and energy
- Sustainable power cable materials technologies with improved
whole life performance
(Details of most of the projects are listed in the Notes to Editors)
Supporting the Technology Strategy Board's decision to
invest in these projects, Science and Innovation Minister Ian
Pearson said: "Sustainable energy supplies and the control of
carbon dioxide emissions are major environmental challenges for
the UK. Large scale investment, such as the ten million pounds
announced today, will enable innovative materials technologies
such as advanced building insulation and materials for energy
efficient tidal turbines to be developed to meet the challenges we
face in energy generation, conservation, storage and transmission."
The Technology Strategy Board's Director of Innovation
Programmes, David Bott, added: "Through this support, the
Technology Strategy Board is helping to bring together the
UK's world class expertise to research and develop innovative
technologies in a key area for the UK. The technologies will bring
enormous economic benefit in future, and will have global
potential. We are delighted to offer our support and investment to
these projects and look forward to some exciting work ahead."
The funding of these projects is the latest investment in
technology research and development by the Technology Strategy
Board and follows their Autumn 2007 call for proposals in a number
of innovation and technology areas. Announcements about further
investments are likely to be made shortly.
Notes to Editors
1. The Technology Strategy Board's Autumn 2007 call for
R&D proposals covered eight technology areas: Cell Therapy,
Materials for Energy, High Value Manufacturing, Low Carbon Energy
Technologies, Advanced Lighting, Lasers & Displays,
Technologies for Health, Gathering Data in Complex Environments
and Creative Industries. These funding competitions were phased
over 3 months. Announcements about the projects to be funded in
each area are likely be made over the next 2/3 months.
2. The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive
non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its
role is to promote and support research into, and development and
exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK
business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the
quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Innovation,
Universities and Skills (DIUS). For more information please visit
http://www.innovateuk.org.
3. The Technology Strategy Board's Collaborative Research
and Development Programme is investing directly in new and
emerging technologies and has been designed to help businesses
work with each other or with academic partners to develop
technologies that will underpin products and services of the
future. Since 2004, the programme has supported about 700 projects
across 40 technology areas with a combined business and government
investment worth over £1 billion.
4. Details of projects currently available are:
Title: High rate, high energy batteries utilising structured
electrode materials Summary: The project aims to scale up
structured cathode processes that will produce high rate, high
energy batteries for use in hybrid diesel/gas/bio fuel powered
electrical generation equipment. Partners: QinetiQ Ltd (lead),
ABSL Power Solutions Limited, The Boeing Company.
Title: Polymer Photovoltaic Architectural Glass Summary: The
objective is the development of low cost, translucent photovoltaic
architectural glass based on conjugated organic polymers (OPV) for
applications in building windows and curtain walling.
Partners: Polysolar Limited (lead), Linde Electronics, Imperial
College, Sagentia Ltd, Pilkington Technology Management Limited.
Title: Energy efficient bio-based natural fibre insulation
Summary: The overall aim of this project is to develop a
sustainable, thin and highly efficient natural fibre insulation
solution, suitable for new build as well as offering a practical
solution for the refurbishment market. Partners: Bangor University
(lead), Hemcore Ltd, Natural Building Technologies, Nonwovens
Innovation and Research Institute Limited, Plant Fibre Technology
Ltd, Rachel Bevan Architects and Consultants, SciTech Ltd, Wates
Construction Ltd, University of East London
Title: Advanced Ceramic Matrix Composites for Energy Generating
Gas Turbine Applications
Summary: The project will develop a high temperature oxide/oxide
ceramic matrix composite (CMC) for use in power generating gas
turbine applications. This will provide a step change in
temperature capability enabling higher operating temperatures,
improving engine efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. Partners:
Rolls-Royce plc (lead), Advanced Composites Group, Swansea
University, University of Birmingham.
Title: PURPOSE - Plastic UV Radiation Protection Operating by
Stokes Emission
Summary: This project aims to develop novel energy harvesting
products for a wide range of applications. This will be achieved
by enhancing the properties of polymer composites; more efficient
use of solar/thermal energy, longer life and recyclability.
Partners: Intrinsiq Materials Ltd (lead), Bayer Material Science,
Brunel University, Johnson Matthey PLC
Title: New Materials and Methods for Energy Efficient Tidal
Turbines NEW-MMEETT
Summary: This Project aims to optimise energy efficiency and
return on investment by reducing the fatigue factors used for
thick composite sections by developing tailor-made resins and
using state-of-the-art aerospace technologies (modelling, testing,
SHM) to design efficient tidal turbine blades.
Partners: Advanced Composites Group Limited (lead), Aviation
Enterprises Ltd, Materials Engineering Research Laboratory Ltd,
University of Bristol
Title: HEAT-SAVE: A new manufacturing process to produce a
novel cellular vacuum insulation panel for retrofit into buildings
to reduce heat loss and energy
Summary: Our aim is to develop a vacuum insulative panel for use
in the construction industry by using a novel vacuum insulating
foam sandwiched between enhanced layers of aircrete. The HeatSave
project will allow UK builders to meet upcoming legislative
demands for energy efficiency of buildings by developing an
innovative product that is applicable to new and existing
buildings. Partners: H+H UK Limited (lead), Alchemie Ltd, Brandon
Hire PLC, Explore Living PLC, Minett Group, Pera Innovation Ltd,
UVASOL Ltd.
Title: Advanced Surface Protection to Enable Carbon Abatement
Technologies (ASPECT)
Summary: The project is concerned with the development of
coatings and application techniques for the protection of both the
fireside and steamside surfaces of high temperature boiler components.
Partners: Doosan Babcock (lead), Cranfield University, E.ON UK
plc, Monitor Coatings Limited, National Physical Laboratory, RWE
npower, Sulzer Metco (UK) Ltd
Title: High-temperature Silicon Carbide Electronics (HITSIC)
Summary: This project aims to develop a new Silicon Carbide (SiC)
materials process to realise high-temperature electronics (above
300 C with 450 C as target) for energy applications. The project
will investigate Silicon Carbide (SiC) materials and processes for
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) structures;
attempting to provide a unique design and manufacturing capability
for high temperature SiC low-voltage electronics. Partners:
Raytheon Systems Limited (lead), University of Strathclyde.
Title: New homogeneous and novel cathode catalyst materials for
liquid regenerating non-platinum PEM fuel cells
Summary: This project will deliver new non precious metal based
chemical materials fit for purpose (including suitability for
application and process scale up) for the cathode of liquid
regenerating PEM type fuel cells. Partners: ACAL Energy Ltd
(lead), Newcastle University, Thomas Swan and Co. Ltd, University
of Liverpool
Title: Nano-Engineered Catalyst Layers and Sub-Structures (NECLASS)
Summary: This project aims to design and develop novel fuel cell
catalyst layers with a factor of two increase in platinum catalyst
mass activity compared to current approaches. It will do this by
nano-engineering the layer structures to overcome low utilisation
of the catalyst on two scales. Partners: Johnson Matthey Fuel
Cells Ltd (lead), Qudos Technology Ltd, Teer Coatings Limited,
Thomas Swan and Co. Ltd.
Title: Low cost integrated PV in double glazed windows using
CdTe bifacial solar cells
Summary: It is proposed to develop a novel low cost photovoltaic
(PV) double glazed window concept based on a semi-transparent
bifacial Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) ultra-thin film solar cell.
Partners: Arup (Lead), Pilkington Group, CREST (Centre for
Renewable Energy Systems Technology, Loughborough University),
Applied Multilayers
Issued by
Nick Sheppard
Media Relations
Manager
Technology Strategy Board
Block B, North Star
House
North Star Avenue
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