Lowcvp INNOVATION WORKING GROUP MINUTES Wednesday, 14Th October 2009, 10.30 – 13.30 Qinetiq
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IWG-M-09-10 LowCVP INNOVATION WORKING GROUP MINUTES Wednesday, 14th October 2009, 10.30 – 13.30 QinetiQ Attending Members Allan Cooper (EALAB Consortium) Ian Bown (Lubrizol) Andrew Everett (TSB) Louise Mothersole (QinetiQ) Andy Ellis (MIRA) Mike Wade (Microcab Industries) Brian Lawrence (Foresight Vehicle) Nick Carpenter (Delta Motorsport) Chris Brace (University of Bath) Paul Spinks (Tml Precision Engineering) Cliff Funnell (Cliff Funnell Associates) Phil Stones (Millbrook) Dan Parry-Williams (Iquad Technology) Ray Heath (R2 Powertrain) Dave Yuill (BERR) Rebecca Koenigsberg-Miles (Delta David Greenwood (Ricardo UK) Motorsport) David Price (Pi Shurlok) Richard Thompson (R2 Powertrain) David Willoughby (Independent) Robert Palmer (Palmer PR) Dennis Hayter (Intelligent Energy) Roy Williamson (LowCVP) Don Newton (Axeon) Steve Cousins (Axon Automotive) Elizabeth McNabb (Highbury) Steve Patterson (Welsh Assembly Gary Acres (University of Birmingham) Government) Greg Archer (LowCVP) Tom Ma (Ma Innovation) Guy Morris (Controlled Power Urs Halter (Hug Engineering) Technologies) Member Apologies Tony Amorelli (TSB) Robin Haycock (OLEV) David Andrews (In Toto (Europe)) Luke Herbert (Jaguar Land Rover) Dan Aris (Libralato) David Howey (Imperial College) Peter Aston (C2F ) Abrar Jawaid (EEDA) Bob Austin (Connaught Engineering) Rod Keech (NexxtDrive) Richard Bailey (EPSRC) Mark Kessell (Energy and Environment Consultants) Laura Baker (Highways Agency) Martyn Mangan (AWM) Javan Balderson (Powertrain Technologies) Ricardo Martínez-Botas (Imperial College) Andrew Barnes (Powertrain Technologies ) Ian Massey (Foresight Vehicle) Alex Beaudet (EVO Electric) Rob Millar (R&D Vehicle Components) Chris Bingham (Sheffield University) Conor Molloy (Authentic Solutions) James Bladen (Geo-Tech Resources and Gentech James Njuguna (Cranfield University) Design) Rick Quinn (Controlled Power Technologies) Neil Butcher (Ove Arup) Jason Reakes (BMW) Geoff Callow (TEC) James Rosson (EVO Electric) John Chadderton (Astra Vehicle Technologies Ltd) Tony Spillane (tech2reality) Ralph Clague (Imperial College) Peter Stokes (Volkswagen Group (UK)) Jonathan Dinmore (DIUS) Nigel Tait (Shell International Limited) Neil Dyer (Tml Precision Engineering) Alex Templeton (Narrow Vehicle Research Institute) Morteza Ebrahimi (University of Bradford) David Tonery (Oxy-Gen Combustion) Robert Evans (Cenex) Rebecca Trengove (Axeon) Michael Fielding (Artemis Intelligent Power) Adrian Tucker-Peake (SAIC Motor UK) Paul Griffin (Exide) Malcolm Watson (UKPIA) Kevin Harkin (Tanfield Group Plc) James Wilkie (Birmingham University) 1 Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. 83 Victoria Street, London. SW1H 0HW www.lowcvp.org.uk IWG-M-09-10 1. Welcome & apologies Dave Greenwood welcomed attendees. In the interests of time apologies were noted in the minutes of the meeting only. 2. Minutes and Matters arising The minutes of the last IWG meeting 24thJune at Imperial College, as set out in paper IWG-M-09-06 were adopted as presented, with a correction that Cliff Funnel be included as an Attending Member. Actions raised had been addressed or were to be covered by items on the agenda. 3. Partnership Activity 3.1. LowCVP Activity Update Greg Archer presented LowCVP’s activities since the last IWG meeting, as summarised in paper IWG-P-09-26. Most notable were: The imminent publication of the updated Low Carbon Automotive Directory, which LowCVP has been working with UKTI, BIS, SMMT and MIA to produce. The changes to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and introduction of the £30m fund to support purchase of low carbon buses. The deadline for applications for this fund has been extended and Members were encouraged to find out more from the LowCVP’s dedicated website. Action #1 Secretariat to circulate details of the revised publication once available Action #2 Members to review the Low Carbon Emission Bus website and submit applications to the Green Bus Fund if appropriate. http://www.lowcvp.org.uk/lceb/ 4. IWG Projects Roy Williamson provided an update on the current Innovation Working Group projects as reported in IWG-P-09-27 and presented in IWG-P-09-29. IWG Members can view the presentation at: IWG Project Update 4.1. The Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Challenge Six winners of the LowCVP Technology Challenge have been selected and will attend a workshop to help them explore their IP assets and understand the political and technological drivers of potential OEM and Tier 1 customers. They will then present their innovations to a panel of senior executive from OEM and Tier 1 organisations in December. Members enquired whether McLaren had been invited to attend the final event. The suggestion was welcomed and the invitation will be made. Members agreed that an analysis of the project would be useful and this will be presented at the next IWG meeting, 12th January. Action #3 McLaren to be invited to the Technology Challenge event Action #4: Secretariat to present analysis of Technology Challenge at IWG 12th Jan. 2 Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. 83 Victoria Street, London. SW1H 0HW www.lowcvp.org.uk IWG-M-09-10 4.2. Securing Investment in SMEs The project was presented and no further comments were made. A brief for the analysis to be contracted to a third party will be developed by the Steering Group and a contractor identified. 4.3. Resources for Emerging Businesses Members commented that the gap analysis conducted under the study would be useful. Raising awareness of facilities for technology developers, perhaps similar to the UKTI/LowCVP Directory of organisation, would also useful. A point was raised as to whether LowCVP should take an active part in Knowledge Transfer and Members agreed that increased knowledge transfer in the sector needed to happen. Greg Archer responded that LowCVP had sought to work with the KTN programme in this respect and agreed that it did need to happen. Knowledge transfer activity could be resourced if Members agreed this as a priority. Elizabeth McNabb advised that SMEs need: time; funds, and; expertise and that a lack of one of these areas can induce a negatively reinforcing cycle. Support should be offered in bite-size pieces. Highbury has secured support from a Regional Development Agency to undertake an activity exploring what and how support regarding IP assets can be most effectively delivered to SMEs. As a precursor to the project, an understanding of SME perspective of IP would be needed and if useful the project could be initially focussed on the low carbon automotive sector. There could be potential for LowCVP the coordinate with the project. Members agreed that a brief guide would be useful for directing organisations to potential sources of support. In respect of the obtaining SME perspectives on support, Cliff Funnel advised that he would be interviewing SMEs to understand their view of EU programmes and encourage their participation. There may be an opportunity to coordinate with the project and also to involve IWG members. Guy Morris commented that a key barrier lies in the costs associated with demonstrating technologies on platforms which are acceptable to OEM/Tier1s. In some cases this necessitates procurement of a new, modern OEM vehicle as base vehicles and incurs many times this investment to install new technology. A response to this has been the AWM Niche Vehicle Programme which contracts research organisations and Tier1’s to undertake activities in support of a collective of SMEs. Reviewing and encouraging this type of approach could be a consideration for the IWG workprogramme for 2010-11. IWG Workprogramme 2010/11, as section 5.2 below, considers these points. 3 Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. 83 Victoria Street, London. SW1H 0HW www.lowcvp.org.uk IWG-M-09-10 Volunteer SME are sought from IWG to participate in the project, to contribute to interviews and the creation of case studies. Action #5 SME Members able to participate are asked to notify Roy Williamson [email protected] Action #6 IWG Members to comment on the need for knowledge transfer in the sector and whether LowCVP should resource this activity. Comments to [email protected] by 30 November Action #7 The secretariat will meet with Highbury to explore possible coordination. Action #8 The secretariat will meet with Cliff Funnel to explore possible coordination 5. LowCVP Strategy 5.1. Strategy to 2013 Greg Archer presented the LowCVP’s Strategy to 2013 as IWG-P-09-28, highlighting that the mission of LowCVP was regarded as still valid. Of particular focus for IWG is the future priority on “Assisting UK business benefit from the shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels”. Greg also commented that: Low carbon technologies and techniques for HGVs and vans are currently under- developed and may present a particular opportunity for IWG activity. Innovation in the areas of demand management, low carbon fuels and vehicle technologies will have an important role to play going forwards. Technology and techniques for efficient driving may also present an opportunity Mike Wade commented that acceptance of low carbon technologies was critical to deployment. Steve Cousins commented that the EU is investigating alternative approaches to the CO2 legislation framework. An activity for LowCVP might be to investigate alternatives, considering a vehicle’s lifecycle CO2 reduction, including materials use and recovery, part- miles and the extent of electrical charging back to generating source. Ian Bown commented that LowCVP might seek an active role in relevant EU Technology Platforms