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PUTTING THE MIDLANDS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ENERGY INNOVATION A PROPOSAL BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH ACCELERATOR
FUNDED BY DELIVERED BY SUPPORTED BY SOME OF ERA’S INDUSTRIAL SUPPORTERS CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 ERA OVERVIEW 6 OUR ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE 8 INTRODUCTION TO THE BIG IDEAS 16 REGIONAL FOCUS 22 THE BIG IDEAS:
1. ENERGY STORAGE 24 2. DECARBONISING HEAT 27 3. SYSTEM SIMULATION, DATA, DIGITAL AND INFORMATICS 30 4. INTEGRATING RESOURCE RECOVERY WITH ENERGY PRODUCTION 34 5. ALTERNATIVE FUELS 38 6. LOW-CARBON INTER AND INTRA-URBAN TRANSPORTATION 41 CROSS-CUTTING THEMES:
1. POLICY AND ECONOMICS 44 2. ACCELERATING BUSINESS GROWTH 45 3. LIVING LABS, DEMONSTRATORS AND ENERGY INNOVATION ZONES 48 4. ENERGY SYSTEM BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE 52 5. SKILLS 54 6. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY 56 SUPPORT AND MATCH-FUNDING 58 MAPPING REGIONAL INTERESTS – STRENGTHS BY LEP AREA 62 LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND DELIVERY 64 ERA’S RESEARCH PARTNERS 66 ERA PUBLICATIONS 70 CONTACTS 71
THE ERA PARTNERS
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2 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 3 WELCOME In the next 100 years the most successful societies will be the most innovative societies and we in this country have the knack of innovation. We lead the world EXECUTIVE SUMMARY in net-zero planes, and in the long term solutions to global warming, wind, solar, hydrogen technology carbon capture and storage, nuclear… we can be a science superpower, but we must end the chasm between invention and application so that British ideas produce new British industries and British jobs.”
The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA), is a regional experiment in innovation. It brings Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dudley, June 2020 together nine Midlands research intensive organisations, a research community of nearly 1,500 researchers, with a mission to deliver regional impact in energy and interconnected systems. With an initial funding of £60 million, managed through Innovate UK, within a short The “Big Ideas” recognise that based, solutions. The regional development of a hydrogen based freight and logistics space of time ERA has delivered beyond the original expectation. ERA has created 23 new ■ Medium duration energy storage is going to be infrastructure is planned. research facilities, obtained £120 million of industrial funding and close to £450 million of needed as part of decarbonised electricity systems total value in terms of new investments in energy research and development. This document and that large-scale demonstration projects are This is an ambitious programme that builds on the describes the next phase of activity that ERA plans to deliver over the next five years - themes required. outstanding ERA track record with a commitment that have been co-created with our industrial partners, along with the Manufacturing ■ Decarbonisation of heat remains the biggest from the ERA partners to deliver. In the year that the eyes of the world will be on our country as we host Technology Centre and the Energy Systems and Connected Places Catapult. energy challenge and acceleration and coordination in this sector is required; a National COP26, the ERA programme offers an opportunity Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat is proposed. to show that the UK is at the forefront of energy ERA has, and through its next phase, will continue to The Energy Research Accelerator has worked to join innovation. It is a wide-reaching intervention that ■ Dramatic changes to our energy infrastructure is focus on: up fundamental research and development with small will fundamentally change the way that the Midlands hard to manage and hard to plan and digitisation and large scale demonstration and deployment with exploits energy, and has the potential to deliver over Making the UK a scientific superpower, leading in and data are of increasing importance. Real time ■ the ability then to manufacture successful solutions. £1.5 billion in GVA and over 6,800 jobs. the development of technologies that will support ERA has shaped regional policy, helping to establish simulation, data curation and informatics and the government’s ambition to reach net-zero Energy Innovation Zones and encompasses large scale large-scale demonstration is key. To date we have indications of support and aligned carbon emissions by 2050. demonstration projects such as the Trent Basin in ■ The low-carbon management of resources funding from partners of £1.4 billion, which recognises ■ Strengthening the UK’s place in the world, making Nottingham, the hydrogen demonstrator on the Keele produced in energy systems and beyond is the potential of the proposed ERA-2 investment. With sure the UK does not fall behind other countries in Campus, the Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, essential. The recycling of electric motors, plastics this proposal we are seeking £250 million of regional relation to developing solutions to tackle climate the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre in Warwick and organic waste streams are key elements. investment over five years to support energy and the newly established Peterborough Integrated innovation and deployment. change. ■ Development and characterisation of Renewables Infrastructure project. This ability to drive ■ Levelling up economic opportunity within the replacements for fossil fuels is essential in innovation through the technology readiness levels Midlands region and beyond by investing in decarbonisation of transport sectors such as into real-world, city-level projects is what makes ERA infrastructure, innovation and people, helping aviation and hard to reach off-grid homes for heat. unique and provides the platform for the greater push to close the gap with the UK’s competitors by A National Centre for Fuel Standards is proposed. required towards 2050. spreading opportunity. ■ Decarbonisation of regional transport can Professor Martin Freer ■ Strengthening the UK’s economic recovery from Working with the community of academics, industry, only be part delivered by electric cars. Freight Director, Energy Research Accelerator COVID-19 by prioritising jobs and skills. ERA has policy makers, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and logistics will likely need other, hydrogen already helped to create jobs, develop skills and and the Energy Systems and Connected Places support over 1,000 SMEs. Our next phase has the Catapults, ERA has identified the major national potential to deliver over £1.5 billion in GVA and and regional energy challenges. By building on the over 6,800 jobs. facilities we have created and our collective expertise, ERA’S MISSION we believe that we can provide significant future Since 2016, when the ERA programme started, economic growth and stimulate the creation of new, The mission of the Energy Research Accelerator ■ Foster knowledge exchange between partners to there has been significant progress made in the high-skilled jobs. This process, called “Big Ideas” has is to utilise academic research and industrial allow the successful development of the sector. decarbonisation of the energy system in its broadest distilled out six major themes and a further six cross- collaborations to: ■ Provide technical input to regional energy policy terms. The commitment made by the UK to reach cutting activities. The latter are the development of developments. net-zero remains an important national ambition and skills, the need to support business, the opportunity ■ Support the low-carbon transformation of the ■ Strive to attract the best individuals to learn, is crucial to safeguarding the global environment and for developing living campus laboratories, the need Midlands’ energy infrastructure and through a develop and grow such that ERA is recognised providing social and economic stability. However, as to understand and stimulate behavioural change, suite of physical energy demonstrators, attract for its contribution to a vibrant and successful every year, and then every year and decade passes, the requirement to recognise and stimulate equality, further inward investment and deliver technology Midlands skills base. meeting net-zero becomes ever more challenging. diversity and inclusivity in the energy sector and than can aid growth relevant to both national and There continues to be a need to accelerate innovation finally to support national and regional policy international markets. and implementation. development.
4 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 5 IMPACT OF ERA-1 ERA OVERVIEW MORE THAN ENGAGED PUTTING THE MIDLANDS MIDLANDS 1,400 100+ AT THE FOREFRONT OF 9 PARTNERS RESEARCHERS PHD STUDENTS ENERGY INNOVATION £60M + £120M Government investment Co-investment from (Realising 9:1 ROI) universities and private sector ERA: THE STORY SO FAR The ERA programme involved a capital investment of £60 million from government matched by £120 million Established in 2016 as the UK’s first cross- of co-investment from the universities and the private disciplinary energy research hub, the sector. pioneering Energy Research Accelerator The programme is run by a small team of staff who (ERA) brings together 1,400 researchers in are funded entirely by the ERA partnership. The eight internationally-recognised research funding has helped create 23 new research facilities universities from the Midlands region across the Midlands, which have been recognised by the UKRI Infrastructure Roadmap published in 2019, (Aston, Birmingham, Cranfield, Keele, which states that the Midlands has the majority of the Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and national research facilities associated with energy. Warwick) and the British Geological Survey. After only four years, already there has been It was funded as a large-scale pilot to establish significant success and economic impact, the latter whether wide-reaching collaborative working could amounting to a 9:1 return on the original £60 million deliver significant regional impact. The programme government investment, and a further £250 million, in was created with the support of BEIS through addition to the original industrial co-investment, has Innovate UK, with the core objective being to integrate also been secured as a result of the ERA programme. new R&D additional research, develop advanced energy systems, reduce dependence on importing energy, enhance energy 23 facilities £250M funding secured security and resilience, deliver regional economic benefit, develop future energy leaders and help to achieve the region and UK’s carbon reduction targets. 1,000 SMEs supported by ERA partners
6 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 7 THE ENERGY RESEARCH ACCELERATOR OUR ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE
ERA Phase 1 was focused on three themes, each supported by the world-class expertise of the and the smart campus infrastructure programmes, founding partners. The establishment of bioprocessing technologies SEND, and Cranfield’s hydrogen production project and further development of the Tyseley Energy (HyPER) into the ERA network, has enabled us to Park (TEP) – one of five Energy Innovation Zones further develop activity in the hydrogen economy, in the West Midlands – has seen the installation of a smart networks and living labs. low-carbon vehicle refuelling station and a plan to link waste heat generated on site to the City of Birmingham The ERA-funded Manufacturing Technology Centre’s district heating system. The GBSLEP have funded the (MTC’s) “Factory In A Box programme” developed construction of an Innovation Hub at TEP (to open April two demonstrators with SMEs to locally deploy 2021) and a business incubator is being developed. modular manufacturing solutions for production of thermal energy products. This has led to a suite of The creation of battery innovation and projects to commercialise the solution across a range of manufacturing facilities at Warwick provided a sectors with industrial customers, as well as a follow-on basis for the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, project with a physical testbed and digital sandpit for £130m, and the foundations for a future Gigafactory fast moving consumer goods and pharma. investment which has been set as a priority by the Thermal Energy Accelerator Geo-Energy Systems Accelerator Integrated Energy Systems West Midlands Combined Authority. (T-ERA): To lead the development (G-ERA): Focusing on next- Accelerator (I-ERA): To deliver and integration of thermal (heating generation technologies including integrated energy solutions Investment into a new process – hydrothermal SKILLS and cooling) energy technologies geo-energy, carbon capture and addressing major energy-use carbonisation, in collaboration with CPL Ltd at and the global thermal economy. energy storage. markets – including lithium-ion Immingham has enabled high-moisture bio-waste 58 PhD students are part of ERA’s institutionally- battery technology. streams to be converted into solid products that funded Centre for Doctoral Training. displace coal. The work has also led to patents for the THE DEVELOPMENT OF ERA between the partner institutes and with industry, processing of coloured polyethylene terephthalate Over 100 Midlands-based PhD students regularly enabling higher quality research to be driven forward. (PET) to produce pure terephthalic acid that can be engage with the ERA skills programme and a large So far, over 1,000 companies have engaged with directly recycled for PET production and separation of number have benefitted from 15 tailored ERA events ERA and this is expected to increase further now The success of ERA resulted in two further coloured PET. where students have been able to gain specific that ERA facilities are operational. Industrial universities, Cranfield and Keele, becoming members, training unlikely to be available from individual organisations in the region are able to access R&D resulting in a total of nine partners. Research into thermal energy storage and institutes, widening knowledge and enhancing facilities, obtain advice from experts, and deliver investment in pilot-scale facilities has led to the future collaboration opportunities both with other collaborative research. The successes in supporting TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY development of a series of large-scale activities in research institutes and with industry. More than 120 SMEs is well illustrated by the development by China, including the installation of >1.2GWh of delegates from 12 universities attended the recent our work with CPL Industries in developing a coal ERA Phase 1 has led to the delivery of 23 facilities, thermal energy storage for curtailed wind-power, ERA early career researcher conference. substitute to fuel industrial processes. including several large-scale demonstrators, such new air conditioning systems for high-speed trains as the Trent Basin community energy project, the and refrigeration systems for food transportation, The establishment of the Doctoral Training Centre ERA has established an Industrial Advisory Board Tyseley Energy Park and the creation of the smart all sponsored by industry. These facilities have on Sustainable Hydrogen between the Universities of comprising 12 senior representatives from across manufacturing approach ‘Factory in a Box’. Key furthered the development of Highview Power’s Nottingham, Loughborough, and Birmingham brings the energy sector, including Cadent Gas, Centrica examples include: ‘liquid air energy storage’ technology, originally together the world-leading expertise in hydrogen Business Solutions, EDF Energy, Energy Systems developed by an ERA academic, which are now in generation, purification, sensors/monitoring and The creation of the Trent Basin housing Catapult, Engie UK, EPRI, ITM Power, National Grid, commercial deployment. storage, along with whole systems issues and utilises development, which will finally comprise 500 houses Renewable Energy Association, Rolls-Royce, Siemens the ERA facilities. across a 250-acre brown field regeneration site, has and WSP, to offer an industrial perspective and help The creation of a borehole facility at Sutton been strongly supported by the ERA investment to align ERA’s strategy and priorities with commercial, Bonington, near Nottingham, vital for understanding The ERA Skills Team has been awarded a significant both in terms of capital and expertise. This housing real-world opportunities. So far, this has created six the migration of carbon dioxide in geological sites £4 million Research England grant to support development is a living demonstrator of new energy ‘Big Ideas’ for which there is strong industrial backing. as CCS programmes are developed across the UK. skills development for post-doctoral researchers. technologies and will soon include a 450 pupil The programme (C-DICE), will develop early career primary school. ERA has engaged with over 1,400 researchers. It The integration of the Keele projects associated with researchers in the areas of infrastructure, cities and has facilitated stronger collaboration and networking hydrogen deployment into the gas grid, HyDeploy, energy, in partnership with ERA and UKCRIC.
8 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 9 INTERNATIONAL REACH ECONOMIC IMPACT ERA has supported its partner institutions working The project has delivered the committed £110 million closely in their regions, fulfilling the ‘anchor of co-investment from industrial partners such as at the start of 2020, assisted by The ERA Phase 1 economic case was centred around A Mission to China institute’ role of universities. The development of the CPL, Blueprint, Air Products, Repsol, E.ON UK, Rolls- the FCO and the British Embassy in Beijing, helped overcoming the ‘valley of death’ between research Peterborough Integrated Renewables Infrastructure Royce, JLR, and Schlumberger, plus over £10 million to reinforce many existing links of the ERA partners and commercialisation, helping UK industries to (PIRI) and the regional coordination of a hydrogen in institutional matched-funding from our original as well as establishing new relationships. These links develop new technologies and solutions. vision, led by ERA, are two examples of this. The capital research partners. enable the partners to act quickly and together as investment by the government of £60 million new opportunities arise, and has already resulted in The Trent Basin Community Energy Demonstrator for equipment and buildings to support the The ERA investment has catalysed £250 million in ERA entering partnering discussions with Tsinghua directly informed the Energy Revolution stream of demonstration of emerging energy technologies follow-on funding, with £100 million of this funding University, JITRI (Nanjing) and various businesses the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund as well as has generated a 9:1 return on investment. going to ERA partners. in Hangzhou, particularly around hydrogen numerous policy documents, e.g. Financing the energy systems, energy storage and renewables Transition: Harnessing UK Cities’ Ambition for Clean _ integration. These Chinese organisations are Energy (UK100, 2017), The Future for Small-Scale Low- prepared to financially invest in funding collaborative Carbon Generation (BEIS, 2018), Accelerating the Rate research. of Investment in Local Energy Projects (UK100, 2020). ERA has developed collaborative links with KEY DEMONSTRATORS Germany’s leading innovation organisation, ENGAGING WITH SMALL AND the Fraunhofer Institute. Joint projects are being MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES developed linked to bioprocessing for fuels DEVELOPED and chemical products, and the production of sustainable aviation fuels. ERDF projects worth around £50m have been TYSELEY ENERGY PARK delivered by ERA partners. These have provided An existing relationship with the E.ON Research Centre business leaders access to world-class expertise AS PART OF Integrating waste and recycling with energy, fuels and in Aachen, Germany, has been extended, particularly and the knowledge to drive innovation. This transportation solutions for the City of Birmingham, focusing on research into grid systems and next- transformational support has been provided to the Tyseley Energy Park (TEP) is an Energy Innovation generation fuels. over 1000 regional SMEs. ERA is supporting the ERA-1 Zone being developed in the City of Birmingham to development of an incubation hub for SMEs linked to help drive the transformation of the city to meet its ERA research facilities. plan for decarbonisation and the development of a SUPPORTING EVIDENCE-BASED clean air zone. New export and international partnership POLICY MAKING opportunities have been established for regional Situated on the site of Webster and Horsfall’s existing SMEs which have been helped to engage and compete manufacturing facility, TEP integrates energy from ERA has supported both the West Midlands on an international level. In partnership with DIT waste plants with electricity and fuels production. Combined Authority and Midlands Engine as energy and business networking groups ERA has fostered ERA’s investment in TEP has centred around an has become a top priority. opportunities for SMEs in Central and South America, innovative Thermo-Catalytic Reformer (TCR), which Asia, USA and Australia. uses an improved pyrolysis technology to transform ERA has helped shape the energy strategy of the West various kinds of biomass into synthesis gas, charcoal Midlands through the creation of Energy Capital and ERA facilities have also supported overseas and diesel-quality oil. the formation of Energy Innovation Zones. ERA investment in new technologies, new ventures and This effectively uses around 70% of the energy in the academics co-led a Policy Commission, chaired by commercialisation. Already there has been ~£1m of biomass. The TCR process converts the biomass into Sir David King, which developed the concept of the funding, from Chinese businesses alone, for research high-quality syngas, bio-oil, biochar and water. TEP ‘Energy Innovation Zone’. This formed the basis for the using ERA expertise and facilities. WMCA energy strategy. has been adopted by Energy Capital, the organisation Aston has supported over 350 companies via their within the West Midlands Combined Authority, as The outputs from ERA’s Policy Commissions, for bioenergy and bioproducts business support one of the five trial Energy Innovation Zones within example the recent Policy Commission on Energy programme which utilises ERA funded equipment. the region, aimed at leading the clean energy and from Waste and the Circular Economy (2020), are Through this initiative, entrepreneurs and business transport transition within the region. Birmingham helping to shape UK thinking and unlock barriers to decision makers have been able to assess low carbon City Council has set stretching targets to deliver a 60% reduction in CO emissions by 2027. progress in various sectors. The concept of ‘Resource market opportunities and access analytical support to 2 Recovery Clusters’ is seen as a key transition vehicle realise commercial success. The team has established for utilising redundant coal-fired power generation regular communication with 10,000 contacts sites in the region and was recently presented across the region. to the Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP (Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth). ERA academics have led, with the CBI, a Policy Commission on Decarbonisation of Heat (2020) and co-funded the ERPs report on Medium Term Energy Storage.
10 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 11 TRENT BASIN
Trent Basin is an innovative and contemporary neighbourhood, delivered by award-winning developers Blueprint. It is part of the 250-acre Waterside Regeneration area in Nottingham and is set to deliver 500 new low-energy homes once complete. The £100 million scheme, now starting MTC – SMART MANUFACTURING its third phase of build, is also the site of a transformational energy project that hosts one of ACCELERATOR, AND Europe’s largest community energy batteries. FACTORY IN A BOX
Project SCENe (Sustainable Community Energy The Smart Manufacturing Accelerator (SMA) is a Networks), a pioneering community energy pilot is framework for delivering integrated manufacturing being supported by £10 million of Innovate UK and and supply chain solutions enabled by the ERA investment, match funded and delivered by a application of industrial digital technologies. formidable consortium of public and private sector partners, including Blueprint and the University of Funded by ERA through Innovate UK, the project Nottingham. Its aim is to accelerate the adoption of was delivered by the MTC, in partnership with the Community Energy Systems by offering a different way University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Energy of generating and supplying locally-generated heat Institute and Loughborough University, as well as and electricity to homes and commercial buildings. a number of technology partners from industry. It aims to support UK-based businesses to catapult On the ground, the pilot intends to develop a viable their expansion through the adoption of smart model that can deliver renewable energy generation manufacturing techniques, Industry 4.0 technology on new urban developments, which in turn, generates and the very latest remote manufacturing practices. financial returns for the community to offset energy CPL INDUSTRIES JAGUAR LAND ROVER costs. Whilst the model is still in its early stages, the Developed as part of this project was the Factory in a project has drawn both national and international The university of Nottingham partners with CPL In 2015, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) pledged to Box (FIAB) demonstrator; a modular manufacturing attention and many energy companies are now industries to make ‘biocoals’. support the creation of unique ERA facilities to supply chain network enabled by industrial digital watching Trent Basin very closely. serve the automotive, commercial and off-road, technologies. The FIAB is contained within a unit the ERA is working with the University of Nottingham and marine and rail sectors, through creating enabling size of a shipping container, and provides a rapidly Solar photovoltaics are installed on the site, along with CPL Industries to produce a commercial-scale facility technologies in energy storage. deployable, remotely managed flexible solution that the communal battery. A unique community energy capable of converting biomass into next-generation is fully digital and able to be controlled and monitored company has also been established and residents that solid fuels having coal-like properties. The technology The vision was to help enable the effective design, from a central control centre. It was officially launched have opted to join are provided with Amazon’s new being used to develop the biocoal is known as characterisation and manufacture of technically, in March 2019 at the MTC in Coventry, to an audience Echo Spot, smart thermostats (Honeywell EvoHome) Hydrothermal Carbonisation (HTC). This converts economically and environmentally sustainable of nearly 300 industry thought-leaders, academics and and additional in-home monitoring equipment that high-moisture biomass into solid fuels using moderate future battery packs and scale up and prepare for other stakeholders. will be accessible from a purpose-built app. Blueprint temperatures and high pressures. The HTC process exploitation and ongoing research into future battery will continue to build on this offer in future phases, effectively mimics the long-term natural process chemistries. In 2019, the project also developed Factory in a Box eventually offering a full suite of smart technology, of coal formation, with the process taking a matter 2 (FIAB 2); a mixed reality demonstrator for which from appliances to security features. of hours rather than millennia! The facility, which ERA delivered on this vision, by investing £20m, the factory design, ICT and controls architecture was is based at CPL’s production site in Immingham, is matched by JLR, to help develop a world-leading fully virtually commissioned. Delivered in partnership The Trent Basin energy system is connected to the grid; operated by CPL Industries, a major manufacturer and battery R&D centre, the Energy Innovation Centre, at with Siemens, FIAB 2 can demonstrate a number utilising sophisticated arbitrage software the system distributor of solid fuels which already has products the University of Warwick. The facilities underpinned of manufacturing processes using mixed reality to stores energy generated on and off-site distributing on the market containing biomass materials. CPL is the rapidly accelerating decarbonisation and net- visualise real time production data. power back to the grid at peak times contributing to working with Professor Colin Snape at the University zero agenda. ERA was a catalyst for the subsequent grid resilience and generating income for the resident of Nottingham, who is Director of the Centre in Faraday Battery Challenge and the creation in “The Smart Manufacturing Accelerator process members of the community energy company. Efficient Power from Fossil Energy and Carbon Coventry of the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. helps companies design, develop and operate a Capture Technologies. remote Factory in a Box and provides tools to adopt The project aims to develop a business model that The Jaguar I-PACE, which has won three World Car advanced manufacturing technology in a traditional meets government sustainable living targets in a way Speaking about the new facility Jason Sutton, Director of the Year awards, embodies the innovation that manufacturing facility,” says Dr Hannah Edmonds, which is financially stable and future proof. of CPL, said: “The technology has the potential to has put JLR at the forefront of the electric vehicle technology specialist at the MTC. revolutionise the treatment of high-moisture organic revolution. JLR is investing in an electrified industrial waste streams, producing value-added products footprint, with every new Jaguar and Land Rover The project is currently working alongside the defence that displace fossil fuels and promoting the circular model line to be electrified. and pharmaceutical sectors on further development economy". of the commercial application of the SMA framework. Building on the learning from ERA JLR has made an investment in a major Battery Assembly Centre being developed at Hams Hall.
12 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 13 WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES
PROJECTS FROM THE GROUND UP – 2016 TO 2020 Facility Title Description Location
Hybrid Cryogenic IC Engine Hot and cold hybrid engine research facility, Mechanical and Facility building on the existing EPSRC 8 Great Civil Engineering Technologies funded liquid air engine test Building, University of laboratory. The new facilities allow wider Birmingham integration with thermal, and in particular, cold chain technologies through the development of Facility Title Description Location the applications of liquid air. Hydrogen Systems Test Bed A flexible test facility for the evaluation of Jubilee Campus, Expanded analytical and processing capability EBRI, Aston University Advanced Biomass hydrogen as an energy source and energy University of Nottingham in biomass, biofuels, biochemical and Processing Facility storage medium. bioproducts. Hydro Thermal Facility for the evaluation of low-carbon bio CPL Works, Immingham Advanced Insulation, Test facilities to develop high-performance CREST, Loughborough Carbonisation Rig fuels produced from waste materials. Glazing and Solar Collector insulation materials, façade systems for University Laboratory improved building energy performance. Integrated Energy Storage, Research into gas compression, expansion and Department of Testing and Validation energy storage. Mechanical Engineering, Bespoke facility for abuse testing of cells Energy Innovation Battery Testing University of Leicester beyond their normal operating limits. This Centre, University of enables the stripdown, autopsy and analysis of Warwick Latent Heat Energy Storage Materials characterisation laboratory and test CREST, Loughborough cells to understand the reasons for failure. Laboratory facilities for photovoltaic energy generation. University Cell Manufacturing Pilot line for the manufacture of cylindrical Energy Innovation Materials Lab For the development of new battery materials Energy Innovation (cylindrical and pouch) and pouch format batteries. Pack-scale testing Centre, University of and chemistries. Centre, University of facility for testing of full vehicle battery packs Warwick Warwick up to 1MW, 900V. Multidisciplinary The MDL is equipped with state of the Jubilee Campus, Community Energy Local integrated energy system supplying Trent Basin Development Lab art facilities for near-ambient pressure University of Nottingham Demonstrator power for the local community. Development, (MDL) photoelectron spectroscopy, nanoscale Nottingham imaging, gas-storage and separation, thermal analysis, fuel cell testing & accelerated gas Support the development of cold engine Wolfson School, Cryogenic Engineering cycling. Research Lab technology. Loughborough University New Cell Chemistries, For the development of new battery materials University of Leicester Geoenergy Test Bed Comprising of a set of 11 boreholes and data Sutton Bonington Electrolytes and Materials and chemistries. recording infrastructure / office accommodation. Campus, University of The facility will be used to carry out research Nottingham Second Life and Wireless For testing and integrating second life packs/ Energy Innovation into new technology sensors and for research Testing Facility modules into a range of applications including Centre, University of related to the geology of the site and into gas vehicle charging and static storage. Warwick
injection, including CO2.
Bespoke facility for the simulation of drive Energy Innovation Hardware in the Loop (HIL) Solid Loop Adsorber Facility for the evaluation of improved means of Jubilee Campus, Lab cycles, incorporating motors/batteries. Centre, University of scrubbing CO from combustion products. University of Nottingham Warwick 2 Thermal Analysis Development of thermal energy materials. Faculty of Engineering, Facilities for research into gas compression, Jubilee Campus, High Performance Technologies Laboratory University of Warwick Compression and Expansion expansion and energy storage. University of Nottingham Lab (HPCEL) and University of Thermal Belt Demonstrator Development of novel biomass conversion Tyseley Energy Park, Leicester Facility technologies for the production of biofuels. Birmingham Hot and Cold Thermal Newly refurbished space for the Birmingham Metallurgy and Materials Thermal Technology Development of thermal energy manufacturing Manufacturing Materials Manufacturing Centre for Energy Storage to continue its work Building, University of Companies Manufacturing capability. Create digital/virtual manufacturing Technology Centre Laboratory into researching and manufacturing cryogenic, Birmingham Assessment and Support to environment and two factories in a box to sensible heat and high temperature energy FIAB Demonstrators demonstrate Industry 4.0 principles in the storage materials, components and systems. thermal energy sector.
14 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 15 INTRODUCTION TO LEVELLING UP R&D SPEND REGIONAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES The Midlands has been shown to be under-invested in terms of government R&D spend. While investment ERA proposes to continue to support the Midlands in R&D by businesses in the East and West Midlands Engine as it works with the LEPs on regional energy is above the UK average, state support for R&D in the strategy and infrastructure development. Particular East and West Midlands is well below average. This regional challenges include: new local models THE BIG strongly suggests that increased public spending for energy investment and markets; strategic on R&D could leverage the benefits of private sector investments; energy infrastructure that will underpin support and investment still further. ERA-2 allows housing, industry and electric vehicles, as well as investment at scale across the region utilising an the issues of clean air and fuel poverty; demand side established and successful partnership which will be management; and energy storage. As we transition to IDEAS able to mobilise at speed. a low-carbon economy a number of high-profile sites for energy production in the Midlands are beginning This document sets out our plans for a new phase of ERA investment (ERA-2), DELIVERING SCIENCE AND to be decommissioned, as well as coal-fired power stations which are closing in the UK by 2025, with a over five years, to support regional economic recovery, redevelopment of former TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE risk that these jobs will be lost in the region. These industrial sites and investment in R&D to support the government’s net-zero This investment will enable the UK to gain global sites provide an opportunity to be re-used to locate ambition. We propose to build on the facilities we have developed in phase 1, and leadership in areas of energy technology, increasing new research and demonstration facilities and create our partners' assets, in order to deliver a second phase of activity which we have resilience and reducing reliance on energy imports. It new energy jobs for the skills that reside within the co-produced with our academic partners, our Industrial Advisory Board and local will allow us to build on strengths already developed region. The Midlands faces challenges in terms of its via ERA’s initial programme with the majority of supply of electricity, which in some cases is restricting and regional government. We have designed a programme which will support the growth. In the first independent economic review of following regional and national policy objectives: investment being in Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-7 making this investment ideal to support the Midlands Engine region delivered by its economic the development of commercial solutions in the observatory it found that “The supply of utilities, SUPPORTING a sustainable future is one of the overarching UK with the potential for use both in the UK and especially electricity, fibre broadband and water objectives of the ERA programme. We propose internationally. supply. ……. is holding back expansion or limiting the REGIONAL AND that an investment of £250m over five years ability of firms to operate at maximum capacity (e.g. in could deliver £1.5 billion GVA and 6,800 jobs, with the Black Country). This is key, given that many of the NATIONAL POLICY key elements being front-loaded. The Midlands IMPROVING AIR QUALITY Midlands’ important industrial sectors are relatively OBJECTIVES Engine has identified low-carbon energy and energy intensive, and there are opportunities transport infrastructure as two of the four priority Air quality accounts for 40,000 deaths per year in the associated with the region’s strengths in low-carbon areas for the Midlands. As well as having a focus UK. Six Air Quality Management Areas are in place or energy.” Energy supply was identified as one of the SUPPORTING POST-COVID-19 on energy R&D the proposed projects link to key under development in a number of Midlands cities. factors driving the productivity gap in the Midlands ECONOMIC GROWTH Midlands industrial strengths, such as recycling/ Uptake of renewable technologies, electric vehicles and holding back growth. The Midlands has a number reprocessing, energy, transport and logistics. and hydrogen, which our programme will support, will of energy companies that are based in the region that The Midlands Energy Sector supports 30,000 reduce emissions over the long-term. will directly benefit from an ERA-2 investment, these direct jobs and 77,900 jobs in its supply chain. include Baxi, Engie UK, E.ON UK, National Grid, Rolls- The sector has a high level of specialisation which HELPING MEET NET-ZERO Royce, Vaillant and Worcester-Bosch. is six times the national average for the energy OBJECTIVES Figure 1: The ERA Programme Technology sector. This contributes £5 billion to the regional Readiness Levels environment economy. The output per working age resident in The programme will support meeting both the Midlands is £698 per annum compared with national and regional net-zero targets. In an average of £472 nationally. In total, the sector addition to the national target of achieving Research (TRL 1-2) Applied research & Demonstration Pre-commercial supports around 162,500 jobs and generates net-zero by 2050, a number of cities, such as development (TRL 3-5) (TRL 6-7) deployment (TRL 8-9) around £14 billion to the UK economy through Nottingham and Birmingham have declared its direct, indirect and induced impacts. In terms earlier net-zero targets, with the vast majority of Research Councils of the impact of COVID-19, the West Midlands is the Midlands’ emissions coming from energy and predicted to experience the largest GVA decline transport use. ERA-2 will undertake R&D utilising of any region, at over 9% and the East Midlands the Midlands as a ‘living lab’ with solutions that Innovate UK is ranked as the most vulnerable part of the UK. can then be applied across the rest of the UK. Creating regional jobs and regional growth for Energy Research Accelerator
Ofgem ERA-2 £250M 6,800 £1.5BN
Energy R&D organisations DfT / OLEV IMPACT: investment jobs GVA
16 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 17 PROPOSAL – OUR ‘BIG IDEAS’
These core areas of activity are our ‘Big Ideas’, and a summary of each of these is outlined below:
NO. TITLE SUMMARY OF FOCUS ACTIVITY MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
Medium-duration, large-scale, energy ■ 13GW of additional storage assets needed in UK ■ The international Energy Storage Systems Market was ENERGY STORAGE storage to include compressed air by 2030, with £6bn of investment (Aurora Energy valued at $172,236m in 2015, is expected to reach 1 demonstration facilities. Research). $264,953m by 2022.
A National Centre for Decarbonisation ■ Heat is 40% of the UK’s energy utilisation and ■ The share of clean heating technologies – heat pumps,
of Heat, NCDH) (currently being responsible for 1/3 of the CO2 emissions and over 25 district heating, renewable and hydrogen-based million existing UK homes need to adopt clean heating heating – needs to more than double to 50% of sales DECARBONISING discussed via the West Midlands Stimulus Package) to support the technologies. Successful coordination could drive by 2030. HEAT down costs, similar to the wind sector generation to 2 transition from domestic use of gas to ■ A national decarbonising heat programme could draw 1/3 of the original cost. alternative options such as heat pumps in investment of up to £500billion. and hydrogen boilers.
■ Use of smart, digital and information dynamics has the ■ The small grid outage in August 2019 is estimated to have potential to drastically reduce the costs of energy. In the had an impact of tens of millions of pounds on the UK Grid-scale electricity system modelling SYSTEM West Midlands alone industry and citizens spends £5bn economy. Major grid outages in the future could provide SIMULATION, for future-proofing infrastructure to per year in energy bills. impact of hundreds of millions. develop a digital twin of the electricity DATA, DIGITAL AND ■ Western Power Distribution estimated savings of ■ Cities are currently held back in their net-zero ambitions 3 system allowing network changes to be INFORMATICS around £230m during ED1 price control to adapt new without being able to understand and manage their analysed in real-time. technologies between 2015 and 2023 if smart techniques energy and transport systems. were deployed.
■ The Ellen Macarthur Foundation calculates the circular next generation plastic and metal processing a key economy could save European businesses $630 billion component of the region’s economy. Integrating the circular economy with per year. The wholesale value of the carbon contained INTEGRATING ■ Finding new ways of storing and utilising CO2, RESOURCE zero-carbon and CCUS acceleration, in the region’s waste is estimated as £500 million particularly away from industrial clusters is needed to including production of biochar and (Advantage West Midlands, 2010). The material value of meet net-zero targets. RECOVERY spent electronic devices globally amounts to $62.5bn. 4 utilisation in the property sector; ■ Almost 1,000 EfW plants exist worldwide, with a total WITH ENERGY metals recycling; and chemicals from ■ The UK needs to find new ways to process plastic wastes capacity of 13.7GW, of which incinerators account for PRODUCTION waste production. and to recover metals as international regulations 11.6GW, and there is huge unmet demand for waste change. The Midlands has a large and vibrant recycling processing in China, the Middle East and Africa. and reprocessing sector and automotive sector making
■ Alternate fuels are taking over the market and the ■ If the UK’s HGV operators converted to high-blend Demonstration of next-generation fuels global alternate fuel market size is set to reach biofuel over the next decade it would save approx. to include a National Centre on Fuel $248.3bn by 2024 (Goldstein Research). 13.9 million tonnes of CO equivalent. Standards and support for a regional 2 ALTERNATIVE FUELS ■ By 2040 nearly a billion tonnes per year of synthetic ■ A hydrogen generating technology, with a low hydrogen economy through the R&D of fuels will be required for the marine and aviation environmental impact coupled with nuclear generated 5 green H2 technologies that could use sectors (Royal Society). The aviation sector has spent heat and power, will produce H2 in large quantities at nuclear heat and power. $1trillion on fuel efficient aircraft since 2009. low cost.
■ Road freight is the largest source of global diesel ■ The automotive fuel cell market is estimated to be 14 demand, at around half of the global total. Globally, thousand vehicles in 2020 and is projected to grow at
more than one-third of transport-related CO2 a annual rate of 70% to 2028. emissions, and 7% of total energy-related CO , come LOW-CARBON INTER 2 ■ Hydrogen transport is seen as a key development Low-carbon freight logistics in from road freight transport. for road and rail, with companies such as Siemens, AND INTRA-URBAN collaboration with the Midlands ■ The Midlands is the centre of the UK freight and Alstom and Poterbrook developing hydrogen trains 6 TRANSPORTATION Innovation Transport Group logistics industry, with two international airports, high and countries such as Germany investing heavily in levels of UK rail freight and heavy road freight going the infrastructure. through the Midlands region, and a deep water port at ■ As cities look for solutions to low-carbon transport Immingham. micro-mobility offers a potential solution.
18 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 19 CROSS-CUTTING THEMES BIG IDEAS FOR THE NET-ZERO AMBITION
In addition, we envisage a series of cross-cutting activities which will utilise the above initiatives, these include:
THEME TITLE SUMMARY OF FOCUS ACTIVITY LEVELLING UP SCIENCE AND AGENDA TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND Providing policy and economic support to policy- EXPERTISE A ROUTE TO POST makers at a local and regional scale. ECONOMICS NET-ZERO COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPROVE GROWTH AIR QUALITY AND ACCELERATING RESILIENCE BUSINESS Supporting SMEs in the low-carbon energy sector delivering export sales and sector growth. Y > GROWTH SIVIT POL CLU ICY IN AN & D TY E Utilising the living lab concept to build and develop SI CO ER N new large scale demonstrators, providing best practice V O LIVING LABS I M D and showcasing different low-carbon solutions. , IC Y LOW-CARBON S IT L A >
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R & S particularly transport, metals and recycling, some of that the GVA returns for the programme would be which are being particularly hard hit by the current in the range of 3.5-6 times the initial government economic crisis. ERA allows investment at scale across investment, providing excellent value for money. the region, reducing bureaucracy for government, but also encouraging collaboration between institutes.
20 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 21 MIDLANDS IMPACTS THE BIG IDEAS PROPOSED 10,000 56,000 £2.5BN+ REGIONAL FOCUS companies regional jobs capital yearly
WHY THE MIDLANDS? 17 The Midlands is a region which has historically year more than £2.5 billion of capital investment 5 underperformed in terms of employment, skilled jobs is made in energy technologies and infrastructure 13 and has been significantly impacted by COVID-19, and (excluding buildings and transport) across the 14 hence ERA aligns strongly to the levelling-up agenda. Midlands. 2 15 27 24 The region is home to around 10,000 companies The Midlands is well placed to be a global leader 18 working in the energy sector, including National Grid, in energy, creating jobs and wealth for the region’s Chesterfield E.ON UK, Engie, Rolls-Royce, Worcester-Bosch plus people and businesses, and playing a crucial role in 26 Lincoln many promising emerging SMEs, of which ERA has the UK’s economic recovery from the COVID-19. 27 supported over 1,000 within the region. The Midlands employs around one third of the people in the UK’s Newark-on-Trent 21 energy sector with over 56,000 regional jobs. Every Stoke-on-Trent 23 Nottingham Derby 1 Uttoxeter
14 Stafford 22 Loughborough
Shrewsbury Telford Lichfield 11 Rutland The Royal Leicester Wolverhampton Town of Sutton The Midlands has the 4 Coldfield 7 Corby majority of the national Birmingham research facilities 20 Solihull Coventry 27 associated with energy.”
UKRI Infrastructure Roadmap, 2019. Royal 6 Leamington Northampton Warwick Spa Worcester 16 9 Hereford 10 8 25 3 19 27 12
16. Regional Hydrogen Freight and 20. Micromobility and Electric Vehicle 24. National Centre for Decarbonisation Public Transport System – DIRFT Solutions for Midlands Cities – of Heat – Trent Basin 1. Ratcliffe Power Station 6. City Digital Twins – Birmingham 13. Hydrogen Production Utilising 17. Regional Hydrogen Freight Birmingham 25. National Centre for Decarbonisation 2. Compressed Air Energy Storage Test 7. Critical Metals Pilot – Leicester Nuclear Resources and Public Transport System – 21. Regional Energy Evidence and of Heat – Worcester Bosch Immingham Facilitation Team – Nottingham Bed Site – Cheshire 8. Critical Metals Pilot – Warwick 14. National Centre for Low-Carbon 26. National Centre for Decarbonisation Fuels 18. Micromobility and Electric Vehicle 22. ERA School to Researcher Skills of Heat – Keele University 3. Whole Electricity System Simulator, 9. Critical Metals Pilot – Birmingham National Grid – Warwick 15. Regional Hydrogen Freight Solutions for Midlands Cities – Programme - Loughborough 27. Rural Living Labs – key rural areas 10. Biochar Science Pilot – Cranfield Nottingham 4. National Data Centre – ESC and Public Transport System – 23. National Centre for Decarbonisation 11. Biochar Science Pilot – Aston Nottingham 19. Micromobility and Electric Vehicle of Heat – Tyseley 5. City Digital Twins – Nottingham 12. Biochar Science Pilot – CPL Solutions for Midlands Cities – Warwick
22 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 23 are concentrated on things that naturally have BIG IDEA long lifetimes. For example, a salt cavern might reasonably be expected to operate for at least 100 years, with high-power machines for compressing and expanding air typically being operational for ENERGY STORAGE 50 years or more. With returns over such a long timescale, there is a strong argument that at least some large-scale compressed air installations should be treated as national infrastructure projects, and hence part-financed by government. ■ There is undeniable logic in establishing a major AIM: DEVELOPING MEDIUM-DURATION ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES CAES test-bed facility in the UK. This would be TO SUPPORT INCREASED RENEWABLES AND MEET ENERGY DEMAND predominately at a salt cavern and involve putting in place: (a) a high-power grid connection – circa DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPRESSED 250MW; (b) a warehouse to hold different air- SUMMARY energy storage solutions. ERA is proposing AIR ENERGY STORAGE (CAES) TEST compression and air-expansion systems; (c) a the development of R&D test beds alongside compressor and expander train providing the The growing use of renewable energy sources, commercial deployment to enable higher BED SITE capability to make this a major working energy including a large fraction with intermittent TRL level R&D into medium-duration energy store; (d) outdoor space for accommodating energy sources such as solar and wind power, storage solutions. There is recognition that the ■ An attractive option in terms of medium- large-scale stores for both heat and ‘coolth’; is increasing the need for energy storage to ERA partnership needs to develop grid-scale term, large-scale energy storage is the use of and (e) facilities for providing access to the data balance energy need with supply. At present the energy storage systems and has significant compressed air (Compressed Air Energy Storage being generated. The funding here is not for the difference between wind and solar generation capabilities in two of the most promising areas, – CAES) as an energy storage medium. There are a construction of the full operational facility but for and electricity demand is being met through Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), a hybrid couple of ways of creating CAES facilities: i) use of the R&D capability and demonstration which will flexible gas-fired power generation. A reduction variation of existing Liquid Air Energy Storage a geological site, e.g. repurposing of salt caverns; ensure that a high-efficiency system is validated in the dependence on gas will therefore also (LAES) technology and other emerging storage or ii) using high-pressure tanks to store the which will de-risk the investment required to drive up the need for more energy storage. technologies. This will be informed by systems compressed air above ground. construct the full facility as part of a staged Short-term, fast-response requirements may and business modelling of storage. programme. ■ Compressed air could easily deliver the required well be managed through the use of lithium-ion scale of storage, but it needs to be technologically ■ This facility would establish the UK as the battery energy storage systems, but there is an enhanced and demonstrated in order to build ‘go-to’ location for CAES development and increasing need for large-scale, medium-duration Pictured: Science Minister Amanda Solloway meeting Professor Seamus Garvey at ERA’s confidence in policy makers, funding bodies and commercialisation, and the facility would draw-in RAD Building the energy industry itself. customers eager to demonstrate their individual designs of power conversion equipment. The ERA believes that three key developments stand in the UK urgently needs to develop large-scale energy way of its wider adoption: storage demonstrators otherwise there is 1. CAES is not a single technology but a wide family diminished potential for decarbonising the energy of technologies that includes compression system. Geological CAES is one of the highest- machinery, expansion machinery, heat exchangers potential solutions. and the design of both thermal and air stores. The ■ ERA already has technical leadership in this integration and optimisation of these is a research area - between knowledge of geology and cavern and development challenge. formation on the one hand (BGS) and understanding of the power-conversion equipment (compressors, 2. CAES tends to be better suited to longer-term expanders and heat exchangers) on the other. storage than lithium-ion batteries are. At the moment, wind and solar energy still make up ■ Professor Seamus Garvey (pictured) organised only a small proportion of the overall energy mix, well-attended events on Medium Duration Energy albeit a proportion that is growing year on year. Storage and Grid Inertia which generated a lot of As electricity generated from fossil fuels can cover interest in the potential of these technologies. The the overcast or wind-free days, renewable energy videos and presentations from these events can be is often used directly with little or no storage. accessed online at: However, large-scale decarbonisation will require » www.era.ac.uk/Medium-Duration-Energy-Storage the UK to store energy for much longer periods, for instance, from sunny, high-wind, days to use on » www.era.ac.uk/grid-inertia cloudy, wind-free, days. 3. CAES is especially suited for storage durations of hours through to several days. In most CAES systems of unit sizes of ~10 GWh and above, costs
24 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 25 HYBRID LIQUID AIR ENERGY for the evaluation of the LAES performance. STORAGE (LAES) – COOLING, Results showed that the hybrid LAES system can BIG IDEA achieve a high neRTE between 62% and 84.3% at HEATING, HOT WATER AND a charge pressure of 19MPa, whereas the neRTE POWER INTEGRATED INTO A lies between 44% and 100% at a charge pressure LOCALISED ENERGY NETWORK of approximately 4MPa. This suggests that, for DECARBONISING HEAT the first time, small-scale LAES systems can be 2 operated at low charge pressures and that the The ERA universities, and specifically the University ■ technology has a great potential for applications in of Birmingham, helped pioneer the large-scale local decentralised micro energy grids. cryogenic energy storage technology that utilises liquid air (liquid air energy storage – LAES), ■ The aim would be to develop a pilot-scale which is now being scaled-up to 50MW/250MWh demonstrator which would be based at one of by Highview Power. This is a technology which the ERA demonstration sites across the Midlands. AIM: SUPPORTING INDUSTRY TO DELIVER THE DECARBONISATION OF bridges from short to medium term. An example, would be Tyseley Energy Park which HEAT, PARTICULARLY FOR HOUSEHOLDS has 35-60MW of electrical generation with zero For a standalone and optimised LAES system, ■ storage and has the potential for the development the charging pressure is normally below 10MPa of a heating network connected to the City of and the highest practically achievable round-trip standards development, supply chains, planning, Birmingham district heating scheme. SUMMARY efficiency in terms of electrical energy (eRTE) scaling of manufacturing and working with is below 60%. Current analysis shows that the The decarbonisation of heat is the major energy business to enable them to transition into the performance of the current LAES technology challenge that will impact nearly every UK sector. The strategic direction for low-carbon is enhanced over a far wider range of charging STORAGE MODELLING citizen. For the Midlands, this presents a major heating - heat pumps, hydrogen, biomass, pressure (1-21MPa) and could achieve an eRTE opportunity to enable economic recovery biogas, district heating – is not yet fully defined above 60% at a charging pressure of 19MPa. The Energy Systems Catapult has developed a with the majority of UK boiler manufacturers and will emerge through the national heat being based in the region. A National Centre for policy. However, whichever technology, or mix ■ The baseline LAES system, however, produces a Storage and Flexibility Model, which is the most Decarbonisation of Heat, NCDH, will enable the large amount of excess heat, particularly at low comprehensive model of its type for investigating the of technologies, eventually predominates, all rapid scaling-up of manufacturing, skills and charge pressures, with the maximum occurring future role of energy storage/flexibility technologies. face the challenge of scaling-up, manufacturing deployment of heat solutions - all necessary at 1MPa. Such excess heat can be valuable if the As part of the ERA Big Ideas, this model will be used capacity, supply chains and a skilled workforce. to meet carbon reduction targets. The scale of baseline LAES system is used for a decentralised to understand the role that storage will play in the These are the challenges the NCDH will help to intervention mirrors that of the Offshore Wind micro-energy network for residential communities Midlands. This would identify the barriers to, and solve. Generating low-carbon heat requires a sector, which delivered a sectorial transition by and/or industrial/commercial centres. opportunities for, innovative storage/flexibility national infrastructure programme which could technologies which can enable a least-cost net-zero recognising that a scale-up and cost reduction unlock investment up to ~£500 billion. ■ As a result of recent analysis, a hybrid LAES system energy system whilst supporting economic and programme required the co-ordination of has been proposed, to provide cooling, heating, market sector growth in the Midlands. hot water and power for decentralised micro- energy networks. To evaluate the efficiency of the hybrid LAES system, the energy for producing Pictured: Highview Liquid Air Energy Storage cooling, heating and hot water is turned into Facility at the University of Birmingham an equivalent electrical energy and a nominal electrical round-trip efficiency (neRTE) is proposed
Pictured: Artists impression of the new National Centre for the Decarbonisation of Heat
26 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 27 with the ERA Phase I funding will be used to support the ■ Low-Carbon Fuel Development for Heat and Figure 2: Diagram of outputs for the National development, innovation and deployment programme. Industry – will deliver the Repowering the Black Centre for Decarbonisation The NCDH will include the following developments: Country Programme (low-carbon fuels for industry) led by Energy Capital, establish a renewable ■ Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat – a new hydrogen production demonstrator and deliver building to co-locate the interdisciplinary low-carbon fuels for off-grid homes (linked to the consortium and core activities of the NCDH, capital Alternative Fuels Big Idea). Heat Skills for innovation and training, a NCDH core operations ■ Expertise and support around green finance Digital Academy budget and a Finance Development Programme. manufacturing – the programme will be a key partner the Green
accelerator / ■ Digital Manufacturing Accelerator / Standards Finance Institute. standards and and Verification – would work with coordinating ■ District Heat Knowledge Centre (DHKC) – heat standards organisations such as BSI, BEAMA and verification Low- network distribution infrastructure can account for IEEE to develop the right standards and verification 60% or more of overall District Heat Network costs. carbon Fuel structures and work with the heat technologies Development The HID project identified seven innovation route National manufacturing sector to support rapid scale-up and maps to reduce the capital cost of heat network and Deployment fast deployment of heating solutions. Centre for Programme infrastructure by 30-40%. Each innovation has Decarbonisation ■ Heat Skills Academy – will coordinate and train been tested with stakeholders throughout the heat existing and new heating engineers in heat pumps, network supply chain. The DHKC could build upon of Heat hydrogen boilers, smart system controls, digital the existing industrial and academic expertise to Building platforms, building integration and surveying, drive innovation and cost reductions in the heat Integration building performance assessment and monitoring. network sector. and Living – Laboratory Business ■ Building Integration and Living Laboratory ■ The NCDH will utilise the Trent Basin facility would deliver consumer-centric trials in real-world, Incubator developed through ERA – this living lab, located digitally-enabled homes, helping to overcome in Nottingham, creates additional reach across the fuel poverty, building upon expertise in consumer Midlands region and comprises fully-instrumented Green Finance insights, systems integration and local area homes within multi-vector (heat and power) energy planning. The Living Lab would become a national systems. This would enable real-world testing and asset for home energy innovation with consumers optimisation of electrification of heat by utilising at the heart, helping innovative businesses to existing fourth generation low-temperature heat rapidly design, market test and launch smart networks, micro-smart grids, electricity and energy products and services. This will provide thermal stores and multiple forms of renewable A NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE ■ Manufacturing acceleration capability to test new products, services, business energy generation. More importantly, the facilities DECARBONISATION OF HEAT ■ Low-carbon fuel development for heat and models and new green finance solutions in have an operational supervisory control and real homes with digital and data infrastructure (NCDH) industry data acquisition system (SCADA) to enable the installed for representative market conditions. The optimisation of energy generation, storage and use, ■ Skills academy Living Lab will also enable real-world feedback of to mitigate low-voltage network grid constraints The Midlands is known for its excellence in academic ■ Business incubator energy innovations, market arrangements, policy - one of the biggest technical barriers to moving research in thermal energy technologies, ranging ■ Building integration and a community-based living and regulations – as we move towards a Net Zero heating on to the electricity network. Though from the development of heat pumps at Warwick, lab carbon future. of national reach, the NCDH would work with biofuels at Aston, the hydrogen for heat (HyDeploy) ■ Standards and verification ■ Business Incubator – the NCDH will help the Midlands Energy Hub to provide LEPs, Local project at Keele, the creation of new energy storage demonstrate prototypes and get to market Authorities and City Councils across the Midlands ■ Green finance technology at Birmingham, through to the excellence quickly. This will enable SME innovators to bring with the advice and guidance required to deliver in the development of the built environment at their products to market in time to help achieve regional and local heat solutions. The NCDCH would be built on the Tyseley Energy Loughborough and Nottingham. It is also the base for climate targets. many of the companies that will deliver future heat Park, creating 10,000 square metres of space for solutions; Worcester-Bosch, Baxi, Vaillant and Engie UK. scale-up development, skills and training, plus standards and verification laboratories and a business The NCDH would be driven by a consortium of the ERA incubation centre with innovation support. This The Living Lab would become a would be linked to physical demonstrators (living academic institutions, the Energy Systems Catapult, national asset for home energy the Manufacturing Technology Centre, business, green labs) which are already developed in the adjacent finance consumer groups and standards associations. East Birmingham communities, which has a below innovation with consumers at the The aim would be to create consensus in the heat average energy efficiency housing stock and also heart, helping innovative businesses to sector, develop a coherent delivery plan, work with the Trent Basin Demonstrator in Nottingham, and rapidly design, market test and launch local government in the region and beyond to develop the Keele campus demonstrator in Staffordshire. It smart energy products and services. and deliver solutions and to establish and coordinate will link into the developments associated with the a number of regional heat delivery pilot schemes regional Energy Innovation Zones and projects such (‘living labs’). To drive the development of the heat as the Peterborough City Council PIRI project through sector the NCDH will create the following capabilities: Cranfield University. The research facilities associated
28 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 29 1. A national-scale, real-time Whole The key challenges of the UK’s whole electricity system BIG IDEA Electricity System Simulator (WESS) to include: understand the fundamental risks within ■ Large amounts of inverter-based generation raises our UK power system and thereby improve grid stability and resilience concerns; SYSTEM SIMULATION, our security of supply as we move towards ■ High penetration of renewable energy across 3 a low-carbon electricity network. transmission and distribution networks: intermittency and fluctuation, low inertia, DATA, DIGITAL AND 2. A Digital Energy Systems, Data and frequency control and stability control; Informatics programme which works Electrification of transport and coupling this with regionally to nationally to establish the ■ INFORMATICS electricity grids (via charging facilities) and heat framework and tools for the management, (via e-pumps): significant increases in electricity curation and interpretation of energy data. demand and its uncertainties and new services, creating more dynamic power flows; 3. Digital Twins of the two Midlands cities of ■ Energy storage: game-changing technologies but Birmingham and Nottingham. may create new operational uncertainties and the need to consider new design and operating risks; AIM: IMPROVING DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF ELECTRICITY AND ■ Power electronics dominated power grids: fast ENERGY SYSTEMS, INCREASING DECISION MAKING AT A REGIONAL WHOLE ELECTRICITY SYSTEM but reduced fault levels, potential negative system AND NATIONAL SCALE AND BUILDING DIGITAL TWINS OF REGIONAL SIMULATOR (WESS) wideband frequency interactions/oscillations CITIES (nanoseconds to minutes); The proposed WESS aims to develop a cutting-edge ■ Digitalisation: efficient but cyber/physical system comprehensive model of the whole electricity network security, protection and control for reliability and SUMMARY and provides a way of managing the frequency from top to bottom, including all generating, network resilience; of the grid through the inertia of its systems) to and user dynamics which will operate in real time, ■ Risks of interactions between controllers at There is an annual investment of approximately renewable generation (which is intermittent and thereby facilitating both human and physical plant different levels (generation, transmission, £12 billion per annum into the UK’s energy low-inertia and a complex mix of national and interaction. No such facility exists worldwide but the distribution and demand level): e.g. the national system. However, as our energy system develops regional scale generation), there is a need to be need is pressing due to the enormous complexity power cut on the 9th August 2019 involved the to meet net-zero by 2050, there are significant able to plan and predict. The key to this transition and risks of supply networks, renewable generation interactions of all the six levels; challenges around the operation, protection and is having the tools that allow intelligent and at all voltage levels, energy storage devices, massive ■ Interdependencies between generation, control of the UK’s energy supply system (with an informed decision making. At the heart of this is electric vehicles development as well as electrifying transmission, distribution and demand. annual investment into energy infrastructure of simulation, data, visualisation of complex data heat. Utilities worldwide, such as those in the USA, around £12 billion in 2018) on a real-time basis. As and digital tools such as ‘digital twinning’. In this China, and South Korea, all use real-time digital The WESS would work with organisations such the electricity grid moves from traditional fossil Big Idea we bring together the three elements of: simulation to provide a high-fidelity models but only as National Grid and Scottish Power to establish fuel generation (which is responsive, reliable of the high-voltage section of their networks. The a national real-time simulation capability which recent UK power outage in August 2019 demonstrates allows industry and the regulator to better plan the the need for WESS to gain a better understanding of development of the energy system and prevent power the impact of new, mostly renewable sources (now outages. approaching 1 million), being connected to the system at all voltage levels and how to mitigate the impact of ■ Subsystem 1: Core facility for the real-time whole critical incidents. The August 2019 power cut in the UK electricity system facility, which carry out the major indicated that: simulation of power grid, generation, distributed generation resources and demands, as well as ■ Current national energy research challenges cannot their protections and controls, with a typical be properly addressed with existing piecemeal simulation steps of hundreds of nanoseconds– 50 simulation facilities; microseconds (0–15kHz). ■ Either the models are too small or cannot reflect ■ Subsystem 2: Smart Grid/Renewable Generation/ the performance of a full-scale network because Energy Storage/Power Electronics/EVs Protection & the models are oversimplified or cannot accurately Control Devices/Controllers. represent the complexity of modern energy systems; or ■ Subsystem 3: Data from Living Labs, Innovation Zones, Measurements from Real Systems. ■ The models cannot consider the real-time interactions between sub electricity systems as ■ Subsystem 4: Operations strategies. well as the protection and controls systems among ■ Subsystem 5: Communications Networks/ them. Protocols Simulation/Emulation Platforms.
30 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 31 DIGITAL ENERGY SYSTEMS, DATA The proposed activity builds on the expertise of the Figure 4: Proposed Whole Electricity System AND INFORMATICS PROGRAMME Energy Systems Catapult and the academic research programmes associated with energy data and Simulator: key interactions curation to construct a programme to address the The UK’s Energy Data Taskforce was established issues identified in the curation, parsing, and sharing to provide government, Ofgem and industry of data. This will embed the important element of with recommendations on how data can unlock what happens with the data, i.e. how it can inform opportunities provided by a modern, decarbonised decision making once it has been curated into a Whole Electricity System Simulator and decentralised energy system. The Taskforce robust form. published a report entitled ‘A Strategy for a Modern Digitalised Energy System’ in June 2019. The report Smart grid protection National NATIONAL ELECTRICITY Wide Area Measurement and Energy Storage and EVs
identifies as issues: TRANSMISSION NETWORKS Control, Smart Metering and control devices / HVDC Grid and IC T and Cyber Security layer Renewable Generation DIGITAL TWINS OF BIRMINGHAM controllers / equipment ■ Data Visibility: understanding the data that AND NOTTINGHAM Regional ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION exists, the data that is missing, which datasets layer NETWORKS (SMART CITIES) Data from Live Labs, are important, and making it easier to access and Innovation Zones, A practical implementation of the WESS and the Measurements from
understand data; FA Digital Energy Systems, Data and Informatics Community ELECTRICITY real systems layer (SMART COMMUNITIES) CTS ■ Infrastructure and Asset Visibility: revealing Programme would be through the development of system assets and infrastructure, where they are digital representations of two major regional cities of Consumer SMART HOMES, Operations located and their capabilities, to inform system layer SMART BUILDINGS AND Birmingham and Nottingham. Working with the City SMART CONSUMERS Strategies planning and management; Councils and industrial partners, the aim would be ■ Operational Optimisation: enabling operational to apply the tools and learning from this Big Idea to data to be layered across the assets to support the creation of digital twins of the energy, transport system optimisation and facilitating multiple and resource flows. This will build on the expertise actors to participate at all levels across the system; of Keele University and the digital twin work they Heat Networks Gas Networks ■ Open Markets: achieving much better price have undertaken with Siemens and Engie, to develop discovery, through unlocking new markets, a small town size, multi-vector digital twin on their informed by time, location and service value data; campus. ■ Agile Regulation: enabling regulators to adopt a much more agile and risk-reflective approach to Figure 3: Proposed locations for city digital twins, regulation of the sector, by giving them access to building on expertise of Keele University's small- more and better data. town scale digital twin
Figure 5: Proposed Whole Electricity System Simulator: operating layers Whole Electricity System
ENERGY ECONOMICS, SOCIAL SCIENCES, ENERGY POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Inter-continental INTER-CONTINENTAL WIDE AREA
ELECTRICITY NETWORK Wide Area Measurement and Energy Storage and EVs Control, Smart Metering HVDC Grid and IC T and Cyber Security Renewable Generation Continental CONTINENTAL WIDE ELECTRICITY NETWORK
Trans-National ULTRA WIDE AREA ELECTRICITY, GAS NETWORK layer AND INTEGRATION
WIDE AREA ELECTRICITY NETWORK AND GAS National layer AND INTEGRATION
INTEGRATED ELECTRICITY, GAS, HEAT NETWORK AND FA City layer TRANSPORT (SMART CITIES) CTS
Community INTEGRATED ELECTRICITY, GAS, HEAT NETWORK AND layer TRANSPORT (SMART COMMUNITIES)
Consumer SMART HOMES, SMART BUILDINGS, SMART CHARGING FACILITIES AND SMART CONSUMERS layer
Map: ©Google maps, 2020
32 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 33 PRODUCTION AND UTILISATION energy-intensive and are unable to extract all of the BIG IDEA OF BIOCHAR IN LOCKING-UP important materials. Efficient processes need to be developed to ensure elements such as manganese, CARBON graphite, aluminium and copper are all able to be recycled and re-used. This is particularly important for INTEGRATING The focus would be to bring complex new materials areas such as the Midlands, which is the location of 4 to market through use-case demonstrators which many traditional recycling organisations. will develop growth and employment opportunities RESOURCE RECOVERY in regional supply chains. These will support The automotive sector is one of the largest users of local companies and the regional economy by energy and producers of greenhouse gases. The shift bringing contaminated land back into use, enabling from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to the WITH ENERGY sustainable construction and converting waste battery and electric motor is one of the largest changes materials into resources for high-value manufacturing in improving automotive emissions, but the change in and specialised agriculture. materials used in new vehicles will change the overall PRODUCTION circularity of vehicles. In new electric vehicles (EVs), Expressions of interest have been received from the charge storage and motors constitute 30-60% of developers, local authorities, investors, export the mass of a vehicle and the remainder is a complex customers and manufacturing supply chains. This mixture of composite plastics, aluminium and even project will address the principal challenges associated titanium. To obtain the maximum value from the with the productive use of biochar, specifically embedded materials then a much greater level of matching of feedstock, production processes and disassembly will be required. To do this economically we must invest in automated segregation techniques AIM: DEVELOPING AND DEMONSTRATING NEW PROCESSES TO application requirements, verification of the quality of the material produced and the definition of new and in new methods to re-use and short-loop recycle RECOVER KEY RESOURCES, PRODUCE ENERGY AND UTILISE CO 2 markets. This project seeks to invest in facilities to these new subsets of materials and composites. house and produce biochar material such that end-use If this can be performed locally then these processes case studies can be developed. The project will select a would provide a strategic supply of materials which SUMMARY area. These relate to pyrolysis and gasification limited number of use cases, and create demonstrators are key to the manufacturing industries in the technologies, achieving circularity in electrified of the applications, engaging industry and government The University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Midlands, including for example the automotive, transport through battery and rare-earth in the process to assess the market potential. Existing Energy Institute and ERA recently published energy generation and aerospace sectors. Recycling magnet recycling and research into methods to ERA facilities will be utilised and expanded to ensure their policy commission report on ‘Energy is inherently energy intensive, and re-purposing enable the recovery and recycling of plastics for full life-cycle assessment can be undertaken. from Waste and the Circular Economy’. The re-use in high-value engineering applications. can significantly decrease energy use and resource report provides a way forward to increase the The overall aim is to develop a number of at- Specific initial tasks will look into: requirements. Businesses within the Midlands have circularity of waste, to increase the carbon scale, test bed demonstration facilities that are a long history of recycling and re-use of recycled efficiency of incineration and utilise carbon directly applicable to research into integrating i) Low-energy options for increasing resilience in materials, with over 250 recycling companies based in dioxide emitted in the process to form new the circular economy with zero carbon and high-value crop production. Evaluating the role of the West Midlands alone. by-products. The findings are particularly carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). biochar as suitable growing media in high-value It is proposed that ERA develops a research centre important for former industrial sites in the Research will investigate how to improve niche crops. that brings together all of the recycling technologies Midlands which have inefficiently burnt waste the recycling of energy-critical materials and ii) Application of biochar in the urban environment under one roof, to be sited in this regional centre of or have produced carbon-intensive energy for examine how carbon capture technologies to offset the carbon balance of major construction recycling. The research centre would demonstrate a many years. In support of this initiative, ERA has can economically capture a large proportion projects such as the Commonwealth Games, road different approach to recover valuable, strategically developed a number of at-scale circular carbon of carbon dioxide emissions and allow its and light/rapid transit systems. capture initiatives that support R&D in this conversion into useful products. important materials for the UK and Midlands region. iii) Evaluation of biochar applications for water This would: filtration for industrial processes, rivers and lakes. ■ Develop intelligent automated disassembly, triage, separation and a host of smart reuse and recycling approaches to minimise energy usage while CIRCULARITY IN ENERGY retaining form and function. AND ELECTRIFIED TRANSPORT ■ Utilise the significant expertise and industrial THROUGH THE RECOVERY AND connections within the British Geological Survey to RECYCLING OF CRITICAL METALS analyse security of supply issues associated with rare earth metals that are used within batteries, motors, PCBs etc. Products such as lithium-ion batteries are made from scarce metals including lithium, cobalt, nickel that ■ Develop the recycling and reprocessing for clean must be mined and extracted, putting a strain on the technologies of the future that are based on the world’s supply of these elements. Recycling batteries key critical materials to link to the industries in to extract these precious metals for re-use is clearly the Midlands associated with the automotive, critical but isn’t easy. Existing processes are expensive, aerospace and energy generation sectors.
34 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 35 RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF releases particulates and gasses that contribute to and require blending with virgin material to maintain questions. Products would likely fall into one of PLASTICS climate change. performance. Polyesters however are, in theory, able three areas – thermoplastic polymers for (recyclable) to be recycled back to small molecules that can be packaging, resins for either coatings (automotive) or ERA already has existing assets in the hydrothermal reused to create new, high-performance materials. composites (construction/ marine). There would also The project aims to recycle mixed polyester waste carbonisation (HTC) facility at the CPL Industries be a need to look at the environmental impact using streams from areas such as textiles and composites to site in Immingham, that has enabled high-moisture To achieve this idealised, circular solution, several life-cycle analysis to understand whether chemical create fully recycled materials that can be re-used in biowaste streams to be converted into solid products challenges remain to be overcome but the creation recycling is better or worse for the environment than high-value engineering applications. Polyester-based that displace coal and therefore reduce greenhouse of a highly-selective, low-energy process to create mechanical recycling. materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) gas emissions. The HTC pilot-plant can produce ca. pure feedstocks that can be reconstituted would are ubiquitous in many applications ranging from 1 tonne a day of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), be a major step forward. Once separated, ERA There are a number of companies working in this area complex composites for aerospace and automotive depending upon the feedstock. The work with HTC would look into how products could be formulated which are developing technologies for the conversion parts, to fibres in clothing and other fabrics. Often, has also led to patents for the processing of coloured for industry (automotive, marine etc.) using the of plastics to products, including liquid and gaseous the polyester is either blended with other materials PET, which is notoriously difficult to recycle, to materials produced from the recycling process. fuels, and ERA would work collaboratively to create a or chemically cross-linked together to make materials produce PTA that can be directly recycled for PET Resin formulation often involves a mix of chemicals regional ecosystem which helps develop and promote that are extremely difficult to recycle. At the end of production. While polyesters, such as PET, can be as feedstocks, and understanding the balance of these next-generation technologies as they transition their life, there is currently little option but to landfill mechanically recycled, they lose their mechanical recycled vs. virgin material, end-of-life options for the to commercial-scale activities. them or burn them for energy recovery, which, in turn, properties due to thermal degradation on each cycle new products etc. would be on the list of key research
RESIDUAL WASTE Figure 6: Resource GA S/H EL 2 N Recovery Cluster ECT ET Air pollution RIC W circularity diagram from ITY OR control residues (APCr) HEA NE K T N TW DATA CENTRE the ERA/University of ETW OR OR K Birmingham Energy from HEAT K FOOD PLANT Waste Policy Commission
report (Fig 23, page 50). COOLING er ap P PRODUCTS Incinerator with CCS Aggregates ELECTRICITY
Absorption Materials Recovery chillers Facility (MRF)
ELECTRICITY
PRODUCTS
Paper manufacturer Greenhouses Resource
Recovery Digestate PRODUCTS and other material Plastics Cluster Light engineering Fertiliser
BIOMASS
2 Electrolyser Anaerobic digester
GAS/H
GAS/H
Mechanical Bio-fuels 2 recycling Station PRODUCTS KEY Onsite waste transfer Chemical recycling Pyrolysis Onsite product transfer (pyrolysis) BIOMASS
CO2 utilisation Heat transfer PRODUCTS Electricity transfer PLASTICS FACTORY Gas transfer
36 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 37 NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LOW- minimise environmental impacts. The NLCFC would BIG IDEA CARBON FUELS provide analysis of environmental trade-offs across different environmentalimpact categories to support informed decision making where e.g. reductions in The synthesis and adoption of low-carbon fuels is carbon emissions might be achieved at the expense of ALTERNATIVE FUELS vital, however, standards and regulations apply to increases in acidification or eutrophication. 5 many sectors that have been built up over many years to protect downstream equipment, maximising The NLCFC would particularly focus on sustainable performance, availability and minimising outage time. fuels for transport, with a focus on the aviation It is critical for near-term drop-in solutions that the and marine sectors, as well as kerosene, methane, low-carbon alternatives are demonstrated to meet the and propane substitutes for heating, including appropriate specifications and that investigations are BioLPG. A key feature will be bringing academic AIM: TO PRODUCE, UTILISE AND CHARACTERISE ALTERNATIVE FUELS carried out of the actual impact and consequences expertise together with industrial deployment of excursions of contaminants or alternative knowledge to support policy makers in defining REPLACING FOSSIL FUELS FOR THE TRANSPORT, MARINE, ENERGY specifications. appropriate targets and regulatory frameworks for PRODUCTION AND HEATING future sustainable development. It is equally important that we confirm the actual carbon reductions being delivered by different Functions associated with the NLCFC will include: of low-carbon fuels is vital in delivering early alternative heating and transport fuels, what variables SUMMARY Analysis of process synthesis pathways for low- carbon reductions on our trajectory to net-zero. will impact on these and what information is needed ■ carbon liquids and gases The UK’s transport, heating and industrial There are two key elements of the proposed to support robust regulation of new low-carbon fuels sectors depend on access to high energy-density programme, the first is the better understanding that will ensure wider environmental benefits. ■ Testing and characterisation of batches of liquid and gaseous fuels. These are embedded of the production and characterisation of the low-carbon fuels against existing standards/ into our existing energy infrastructure, yet quality of synthetic fuels crystallised into a ERA institutions have state-of-the art measurement specifications and characterisation facilities for liquid and gaseous incur significant greenhouse gas emissions. As National Centre for Low-Carbon Fuels, and the ■ Evaluation of the reliability, availability and decarbonisation of electricity has accelerated, second is examining alternative, low-carbon, fuels that are currently used in several UKRI and European-funded research projects. However, maintainability impacts of low-carbon fuels on the relative proportion of climate impacts related techniques for large-scale production of fuels conversion plant to heating, transport and manufacturing has (illustrated by the utilisation of nuclear power for these generally focus on testing of small volumes of increased. Therefore the synthesis and adoption hydrogen production). fuels for specific analytical purposes. The National ■ Environmental life-cycle assessment of new fuels Centre for Low-Carbon Fuels would build upon this expertise and scale-up fuel testing activities to The NLCFC would initially establish itself as a provide a comprehensive suite of characterisation and distributed centre accessing key existing facilities at analytical facilities that could be used by researchers, different Midlands universities, with an integrated fuel developers and commercial users to test the management and co-ordination function. It would physical and chemical properties of alternative fuels procure investment in new dedicated facilities for fuel on a contract basis for a variety of users to national characterisation at a site for strategic development of and international standards, as well as more bespoke fuels in the Midlands. analysis as part of major research programmes.
Critically this analysis would be coupled with the ability to assess the supply chain impact and ‘carbon PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN VIA footprint’ of the fuels. Aston University has world- NUCLEAR ENERGY leading expertise in life-cycle assessment, while the University of Nottingham brings expertise on policy Large-scale production of hydrogen is a critical need and governance, while the University of Birmingham for supporting hydrogen-for-heat and hydrogen- brings specialisation in the development of 'green' for-transport programmes. There are a number of hydrogen and both synthetic natural gas and liquified approaches for the production of hydrogen, e.g. synthetic natural gas. The low-carbon fuels centre electrolysis, which can be made zero carbon by would provide life-cycle assessment services to connecting hydrogen generation to wind power. different regulatory standards e.g. REDII or RTFO. It Finding efficient high-volume methods is a key would also work with companies and developers to challenge for the UK. Coupling such production to support achievement of corporate targets around nuclear generation is a possibility and the learning environment and social responsibility. The Centre from the proposed project can be applied to other would do this by working with fuel developers and nuclear technologies. others to identify key hotspots giving rise to significant environmental impacts in fuel synthesis chains at an Medium- and high-temperature nuclear reactors, early stage; facilitating consideration of alternative e.g. small-scale modular reactors, can be coupled to feedstocks, process conditions and pathways to a hydrogen production plant utilising either high-
38 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 39 temperature electrolysis (HTE), or thermochemical This would establish the development and testing of cycles such as the copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) hybrid the Cu-Cl technology in the UK, i.e. BIG IDEA cycle. The opportunity outlined here comes from the company Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, USNC, ■ Source equipment from the UK supply chain which has approached ERA to partner with an including the development of advanced international company that is collaborating with them manufacturing techniques to enable key pieces of LOW-CARBON INTER- to develop a Cu-Cl thermochemical water-splitting equipment to be manufactured by UK companies. 6 process. It is estimated that a demonstration of ■ Build a 1-5 tonne/day hydrogen production plant Cu-Cl hydrogen production, at an industrial scale of at a UK academic facility. AND INTRA-URBAN operation, can be achieved within 4-5 years. ■ Commission and Test Facility. The Cu-Cl hybrid thermochemical hydrogen ■ Demonstrate integration of the technologies at a TRANSPORTATION production cycle is an emission-free process of suitable scale. making hydrogen by splitting water. The process requires both thermal and electric energy, where 70% This project, phase 1 of a two-step process, proposes of it is in the form of heat and 30% in electricity. The to construct a full-scale, industrial facility for hydrogen overall energy efficiency is almost twice as high as the production using thermochemical, combined heat commonly-used water electrolysis process. and electricity water splitting process. The first stage will be the study, design and construction of the full AIM: TO DEVELOP LOW-CARBON METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION The maximum temperature required for this industrial-scale Cu-Cl thermochemical hydrogen BOTH FOR THE REGIONAL FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS SECTOR AND thermochemical process is ~530°C. The USNC Micro generation facility powered with heat and electricity INDIVIDUAL URBAN TRAVEL Modular Reactor (MMR) is a combination of two from existing available conventional sources. plants: (1) the Nuclear Plant; and (2) the Adjacent Simultaneously, design and safety studies will be Plant. The Nuclear Plant contains the reactors, done for co-location of the hydrogen production including all the equipment required to transport the facility and the MMR. The studies required to prepare SUMMARY UK’s busiest pure-cargo airport and second only heat from the reactor, support the operation of the the required safety analysis and data for nuclear to Heathrow, handling over 320,000 tonnes of Transport is a crucial driver of economic and plant and ensure the nuclear safety of the facility. The technology license application and consequently flown cargo every year. In the West is Jaguar Land social development, bringing opportunities heat generated by the Nuclear Plant is provided to reactor licensing process will be initiated. A test loop Rover’s plant set for the production of electric for reducing poverty, boosting prosperity and the Adjacent Plant. This plant comprises the modular with molten salt heat storage will also be tested and cars, the Battery Industrialisation Centre and a enabling competitive economies. Transport equipment required to support the client’s operations. optimised at this stage. The second phase of this potential Gigafactory. The region is criss-crossed infrastructure connects people to jobs, education project, zero-emission production of hydrogen using by the rail and road network and has a key role The MMR plants can be deployed in many and health services; it enables the supply of energy from USNC MMR high-temperature technology, to play in freight and logistics; 45% of British rail configurations that depend on the actual application goods and services. However, much of the is already under development in North America. freight and 33% of heavy road freight goes to or and requirements from clients. The heat is transferred transport infrastructure is not zero-carbon or License and construction permission for a hydrogen through the Midlands region. It is also home of via a molten salt loop and is used through heat zero-emissions. The Midlands is key for the UK’s production facility powered by an MMR reactor is cities which are implementing Clean Air Zones exchangers in the Adjacent Plant. This provides for a transportation. In the East is Immingham, the being obtained and the full-size demonstration that will impact how goods are transported into highly-flexible energy source that can be integrated biggest port on the Humber with access to deep- construction phase will start in the next 12 months, and around these cities. The aim of the Big Idea into existing and future client requirements. The Cu- water channels permitting servicing of larger with a 24-month construction period. It is proposed to is to drive innovation in the region’s low-carbon Cl hybrid cycle and the MMR are an extremely good ships. In the middle is East Midlands Airport, the couple the MMR with this technology to demonstrate transportation through two initiatives: match to each other as the MMR’s supply temperature emission-free, economic bulk hydrogen production. matches the required Cu-Cl process temperature exactly. Moreover, the MMR has an integrated heat storage solution in the form of molten salt in the Phase 1 Target achievement indicators are: secondary circuit which gives a degree of flexibility typically absent in nuclear reactors and additional ■ Proof-of-principle for low-cost – below €5/ safety to the system, allowing a steady, optimal kg of hydrogen-industrial-scale production reactor power that is independent of the end-user of hydrogen with the Cu-Cl thermochemical power demand and consumption. processes. Preliminary safety report for co-location of the There are a few international laboratories actively ■ hydrogen production facility and MMR. pursuing the development of the Cu-Cl cycle. USNS is collaborating with a North American partner to further ■ Testing and optimisation of the intermediate develop and demonstrate the USNC coupled Cu-Cl molten salt energy storage system. hydrogen production approach.
40 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 41 1. Development of micromobility and vehicles and programmes as an open platform for REGIONAL HYDROGEN FREIGHT ERA will develop a programme working with industry, electric vehicle solutions for the region’s innovation. It will run real user trials, launch start-ups, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM local and regional government to: cities. assist existing businesses and create the ecosystem for new products to be launched into this growth ■ Create the Midlands hydrogen transport market. The ERA institutions have taken a leading role in stakeholder group and develop a joined-up 2. Creation of a regional hydrogen freight the development of hydrogen technology and regional plan for hydrogen development. and public transport system. This will: infrastructure. Within the partnership there is ■ Map-out the existing hydrogen generation, expertise in hydrogen fuel cells, with the development refuelling and demonstration facilities and develop ■ Join-up policy for connected travel (people and of fuel cell powered cars, boats, houses and trains. an investment plan to fill infrastructure gaps. goods) with solutions demonstrated for each MICROMOBILITY AND ELECTRIC There is leading research in hydrogen generation sub-system enabling evidence-based decision and storage, with nationally-funded projects for the ■ Work with industry to create a regional ecosystem VEHICLE SOLUTIONS FOR making on infrastructure (roads, rail ‘cycleways’, development of large-scale hydrogen production, for the development, testing, evaluation and MIDLANDS CITIES EV charging, light-rail links, airport development e.g. the HyPER project. There are also spinout fuel deployment of a hydrogen transport system. and modal connectivity), thus driving international cell companies such as Adelan and Intelligent Energy. ■ Work with the Humber ports, East Midlands standards to demand UK products. The transport sector has been undergoing a Within the region there are also companies that will Airport, Midlands Connect to develop projects revolution as internal combustion gives way to ■ Disseminate outcomes, findings and ‘success deliver hydrogen-powered boilers as part of the which would establish hydrogen-based freight electric propulsion, vehicles become connected and stories’ globally to position the Midlands as a national hydrogen for heat programme. The 20-tonne logistics to and from key Midlands locations. increasingly autonomous, and ownership patterns thought leader in this space and attract overseas JCB 220X excavator, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, become more diverse. COVID-19 has disrupted investment to the region and anchor it there. has been a world first for the Midlands region. This would be an impact-led programme involving this position further – both negatively (impact on the two Catapult partners, ERA institutions, industry ■ Deliver investment in products for micromobility Crucially, there is also the practical deployment of automotive and aerospace ’original equipment partners and the transport industry to develop pilot (scooters, electric bikes and motorcycles, hydrogen in demonstration projects, such as the manufacturers and a lack of confidence in mass- programmes that aggregate into joined-up hydrogen L-segment cars/vans) through to cars, commercial hydrogen-for-heat programme, HyDeploy at Keele, transit) and positively (enhanced interest in home- transport infrastructure over a period of 5-10 years. vehicles, buses, light-rail and trains. the installation of a 3MW ITM Power electrolyser at the working, walking, cycling, micromobility and electric This will be established through a series of hydrogen- Create industrial opportunities around recycling Tyseley Energy Park for hydrogen-powered buses and vehicles). This disruption creates great opportunity ■ for-transport pilot programmes which both utilise (batteries and motors) and retrofit of green a project working with Porterbrook related to retrofit for new types of ‘green’ urban transport. Immediately, existing refuelling infrastructure and install new technology to existing transport infrastructure, e.g. of rolling-stock to create hydrogen-powered trains. this programme will deliver policy advice to local hydrogen generation and refuelling, and working hydrogen train and bus retrofit. with business partners to trial hydrogen transport authorities and town planners supporting a ‘whole Recognising the platform this expertise provides, the Support SMEs and start-ups to take advantages in the region. The aim is to break the ‘chicken- system approach to transport’ that will focus ■ key role the region has related to freight, the move of these new markets and supply chain and-egg’ impasse connected with the inability to particularly on the potential role of new transport of cities such as Birmingham (funded through the opportunities. deploy hydrogen transport due to a lack of refuelling methods including micromobility and active Low Emission Bus Scheme) for hydrogen buses and infrastructure and the block on deploying refuelling transport. ■ Develop the skills people need to grow this sector the recognition that for heavy goods vehicles electric infrastructure because there is not the ‘market pull’. in design, development and manufacturing, and batteries may not be a viable solution, there is an Targeting a global showcase for new Midlands- with roll-out into the service and maintenance opportunity for the Midlands to become THE region of designed and made urban transport products, companies which support them. hydrogen transport. the programme will create multiple demonstrator Figure 7: Key hydrogen activities developing across the region, including commercial, research and demonstration locations
42 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 43 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 1 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 2
POLICY AND ECONOMICS ACCELERATING BUSINESS GROWTH
AIM: TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO experts in energy systems, technology, economics AIM: TO SUPPORT SMES IN THE and are now looking to re-build their businesses. At POLICY-MAKERS AT A LOCAL AND policy and planning. LOW-CARBON ENERGY SECTOR, the same time the entrepreneurship of energy sector businesses, combined with the knowledge base and REGIONAL SCALE The team would also work with each of the Big DELIVERING EXPORT SALES AND capabilities that the ERA universities offer, present the Idea areas, supporting them in developing policy SECTOR GROWTH potential for high levels of sustainable growth. analysis and briefings, but also on business model SUMMARY development for their particular areas of interest. ERA will continue to play a strong role in supporting SUCCESS IN NEW GLOBAL NEW BUSINESS GROWTH local decision making associated with the energy MARKETS POLICY COMMISSIONS ERA and the Midlands region are an ideal platform from transition and developing regional policy. Over the which to drive growth from these new opportunities. next five years ERA commits to continuing to develop The model of the policy commission is that of a Over the two years prior to COVID-19, global markets ERA universities have an excellent track record for and influence regional and national policy and distinguished chair and ~10 sector experts that have seen a major growth in demand for low- research and education, and over the past three years support regional decision making around energy meet to debate, shape thinking and form policy carbon energy and sustainable products and it is have been working to develop sophisticated new planning. ERA will work in tandem with its partners recommendations. This takes place over a period estimated that the UK low-carbon economy could methods of collaborating with regional companies. the Energy Systems Catapult and the Midlands Energy of 6-9 months and usually involves a number of grow by 11% per year between 2015 and 2030, which These have generated outstanding levels of success. Hub. The programme will have two threads: evidence-gathering sessions. The policy commissions is four times faster than the rest of the economy, will target key questions which need to be addressed potentially delivering between £60 billion and £170 The ERA partners have assembled many of the assets ■ Development of an ERA-led Regional Energy as part of the regional energy transition. Topics will billion of export sales by 2030. This is driving major needed to seed an engine of growth, have developed Evidence and Facilitation Team (REEFT) also be aligned with the development of the Big Ideas restructuring of production processes and supply a track record of working together on industry to create momentum and engagement. There are chains and offers significant opportunities for UK collaborations and have successfully equipped ■ Focussed Policy Commissions on regional and companies in both domestic and export markets. The industry partners to work in energy and sustainable national areas of importance. some emerging themes which will take priority: environment is extremely competitive and to succeed product environments. The initial investment by ■ Green finance and unlocking investment into low- in these changing, and often highly technical, market government in ERA was focused just on buildings and REGIONAL ENERGY EVIDENCE AND carbon projects places UK businesses need access to the best applied equipment, and this generated a higher than normal FACILITATION TEAM (REEFT) ■ Creating diversity in the energy sector in academia technologies, business insight and knowledge that rate of return. An investment targeted at stimulating and business is available. COVID-19 places additional pressure on business growth and development would achieve an UK SMEs which have endured significant disruption even greater rate of return. Mirroring the Midlands Engine Economic Observatory, ■ Devolvement of regional powers required to which provides economic advice and guidance deliver the energy transition. into the Midlands Engine, ERA will work with the Energy Systems Catapult, the Midlands Energy Hub, Energy Capital and the Midlands Engine Economic Pictured: A meeting of the Energy from Waste Observatory to establish a team of experts in energy Policy Commission, chaired by Lord Teverson infrastructure, systems and technology who can work with the LEPS and regional government across the entire Midlands. This team, drawn from the academic research base but supplemented by sector experts, e.g. from the Energy Systems Catapult, would provide advice on local area energy planning, optimal system solutions and navigation of the complex technical minefield of competing energy solutions from business - providing independent advice. It would also support the region as a whole and individual LEPs and councils as they transition to net-zero. The team would be aligned with ERA and the Midlands Engine Pictured: artist’s impression of the new energy and would open the doors to regional government innovation centre for businesses at Tyseley to the expertise of over 1000 researchers and sector Energy Park
44 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 45 OUTLINE PROGRAMME
The ERA partnership will build on its existing track ■ Support new product development through an such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovate record to make carefully targeted investments aimed analysis and testing programme able to assess raw UK and other research funding. To tackle the climate emergency at delivering substantial economic growth. These materials, processes and products. investments will develop the pilot innovations that Many of the partner universities currently having we need to go faster and further ■ Support the development of business cases have taken place over the last three years as follows: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) than ever before. The next ten years through workshop analysis of markets, risks and programmes which cover low-carbon energy and returns. will be crucial. With technology ■ Target collaborative regional R&D investment in this funding would aim to allow SME support to be advancing so rapidly, a net-zero energy on local opportunities and business needs, ■ Increase the capacity to commercialise businesses continued across the partnership. identified systematically with local stakeholders by a co-ordinated programme of secondments future is achievable but nobody has using a collaboration assessment framework. and business engagement between academia and The team will also work with each of the Big Ideas and done anything like this, on this scale our facilities developed as part of Phase I (see p14&15) ■ Interface with already-funded demonstration industry across the region. before. Business can’t do it alone. to develop communities of engaged SMEs around facilities which will act as specialist hubs to ■ Stimulate investment into energy, low-carbon and provide a focus for commercialisation and sustainable products and services through focused these activities. Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, deployment of diverse integrated solutions. support and relationships with investor networks, Director-General, CBI ■ Deliver a targeted set of masterclass workshops business angels, banks and finance professionals. to build the capacity of business decision makers to work with new technologies and enter new With all activities, care will be taken to interface Pictured: photographs show ERA’s business development activities, including business matchmaking in markets. effectively with other successful sources of support China, the ERA Vision Conference and other regional business networking events.
46 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 47 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 3
LIVING LABS, DEMONSTRATORS AND ENERGY INNOVATION ZONES
AIM: TO UTILISE THE LIVING LAB ERA is active in and wants to support the development CONCEPT, BUILDING ON THE of a range of Living Labs, Demonstrators and Energy Innovation Zones across the region and beyond. To EXISTING DEMONSTRATORS, do this ERA will: DEVELOPING FURTHER LARGE-SCALE DEMONSTRATORS AND LIVING LABS ■ Identify potential Living Labs and bring together case studies of best practice to provide a resource AND PROVIDING BEST PRACTICE for use across the UK and beyond AND SHOWCASING DIFFERENT LOW- ■ Provide individual technical support to Living CARBON SOLUTIONS. Labs and Energy Innovation Zones to determine Pictured (left to right): HyDeploy site plan at Keele potential technologies suitable for the site and University, and Trent Basin, Nottingham help to plan for the site’s development SUMMARY ■ Provide business support by identifying and A key feature of ERA programme has been the bringing in potential partners and encouraging COMMUNITY LIVING LABS integration of large-scale demonstration of energy collaboration between partners systems and energy technologies and we have ■ Link technological developments from ERA EXAMPLE: Trent Basin is an innovative and identified a number of different living labs and programmes into new Living Lab opportunities. contemporary neighbourhood, delivered by demonstrators that we would like to support: developers Blueprint as part of the 250-acre Waterside regeneration area in Nottingham, and set to deliver ■ University Campus Living Labs and Demonstrators, UNIVERSITY CAMPUS 500 new low-energy homes once complete. The £100 such as Keele University million scheme, now starting its third phase of build, EXAMPLE: The Keele University campus has been is also the site of a transformational energy project ■ Community Living Labs and Demonstrators, such a flagship demonstrator for two ground-breaking that hosts one of Europe’s largest community energy as Trent Basin energy projects, HyDeploy and SEND. HyDeploy is company has also been established and residents that batteries. Project SCENe (Sustainable Community ■ Energy Parks, such as Tyseley Energy Park and a green energy trial associated with a low-carbon have opted to join are provided with Amazon’s new Energy Networks), a pioneering community energy Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station hydrogen economy. The HyDeploy demonstration Echo Spot, smart thermostats (Honeywell EvoHome) pilot is being supported by £10 million of Innovate UK is injecting up to 20% (by volume) of hydrogen into and additional in-home monitoring equipment ■ City Network Living Labs, such as RESO and ERA investment, match-funded and delivered by Keele University’s existing natural gas network, that will be accessible from a purpose-built app. a consortium of public and private sector partners, ■ Rural Network Living Labs feeding 100 homes and 30 faculty buildings. The Blueprint will continue to build on this offer in future including Blueprint and ERA. ■ Major transport Living labs, such as Birmingham Keele University Smart Energy Network Demonstrator phases, eventually offering a full suite of smart International Airport (SEND) is a multivector smart network providing technology, from appliances to security features. The low carbon energy to over 13,000 students and staff Its aim is to accelerate the adoption of community Trent Basin project will continue to be an important daily. It is delivered in collaboration with a number energy systems by offering a different way of demonstration environment, allowing the creation of of companies, including Siemens, that allows energy generating and supplying locally-generated heat business models which meet government sustainable generation, distribution, storage, forecasting and and electricity to homes and commercial buildings. living targets in a way which is financially stable energy balancing to be intelligently carried-out across This pilot intends to develop a viable model that can and future-proof. In ERA-2, the Trent Basin energy different energy sources using the Keele University deliver renewable energy generation on new urban infrastructure will be extended to new developments, campus as a living lab. Keele provides the template for developments, which in turn generates financial for example a school which is being constructed the modernisation of the energy infrastructure of the returns for the community to offset energy costs. Solar adjacent to the site. Midlands universities as they move to reach goals of photovoltaics are installed on the site, along with sustainability and zero carbon. the communal battery. A unique community energy
48 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 49 ENERGY PARKS currently being designed for Coventry, will include RURAL NETWORK LIVING LABS MAJOR TRANSPORT LIVING LABS local low-carbon energy generation, storage and EXAMPLE: Ratcliffe-on-Soar: The closure of 1970s management, and will integrate future mobility assets A considerable portion of the Midlands is rural, EXAMPLE: Birmingham International Airport era coal-fired power stations is a significant issue for such as electric vehicles. This local smart energy particularly to the east and west of the regions. has set an ambitious net-zero target date of 2033. the Midlands, with a number of such sites in need of system moves takes advantage of the large detailed These areas have their own energy challenges and Pre-COVID-19, the airport had already cut its carbon redevelopment. The generation of electricity from data flows supported by superfast digital networks, opportunities. Many houses are effectively off-grid emissions since 2013 by 33%, and emissions per coal created significant regional employment. The optimising local energy flows. This approach is in terms of energy supply and mainly rely on fossil passenger by over 50%, despite a 40% growth in Uniper-owned Ratcliffe-on-Soar station lies adjacent already being developed at a campus scale at fuel sources of energy being delivered to homes; passenger numbers, however there is still much to to the M1 and M42 intersection, the East Midlands Warwick University, but the RESO project seeks to transportation often involves large distances; be done. Much of the heat for the airport is delivered Airport, potentially the HS2 extension and a regional understand whether it can be applied at a larger scale agriculture is a key sector and there is the challenge by gas and there is a need to continue to develop a development programme managed through the East with multiple customers. of both decarbonising this sector but also utilising the sustainable plan around transportation around the Midlands Development Corporation. The existing grid wastes produced to form low-carbon electricity, fuels airport. For aviation more generally, there is a need to infrastructure and the location make it an attractive EXAMPLE: Peterborough Integrated Renewables or chemical feedstocks. We propose to support these develop sustainable, low-carbon, aviation fuels. ERA site for redevelopment and the co-location of energy, Infrastructure project: The Peterborough Integrated areas using the Living Lab concept to develop a rural will work alongside the airport’s sustainability team to transport and waste and reprocessing infrastructure. Renewables Infrastructure project (PIRI) combines test bed where we can pilot solutions appropriate help shape the future energy system, but also to link in It is envisaged that three or four of the Big Ideas a next-generation heat network, electricity network to the geography. Examples of technology solutions the Big Ideas with potential incorporation of emergent developed by the ERA partnership could be potentially and EV infrastructure under one scheme. Led by include hydrogen and electric vehicles, BioLPG in technology into the airport’s development. located at Ratcliffe-on-Soar as part of the economic Peterborough City Council, the two-year project has houses and Heat Pumps. regeneration which is a necessary part of the just been granted funding to begin the design of a local, transition. smart energy system. The partnership includes: SSE Enterprise, Element Energy, Cranfield University, Smarter Grid Solutions and Sweco UK. This project The West Midlands Combined Authority recognises the role that the Energy CITY NETWORK LIVING LABS provides the perfect opportunity for ERA to help Research Accelerator has played in Phase I of the programme, particularly in influence the development of one of the fastest Example: West Midlands Regional Energy growing, progressive, UK cities which has set a net- shaping the development of Energy Capital, the creation of Energy Innovation Systems Operator (RESO), being led by Energy zero target of 2030. Zones, the development of Tyseley Energy Park and securing the UK Battery Capital, explores the advantages of a new kind of Industrialisation Centre at Warwick. energy system operating at a city scale. The system, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands
Pictured (left to right): illustration schematic of Coventry Innovation Zone, Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, PIRI smart energy blueprint, rural energy solutions, and Birmingham International Airport.
50 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 51 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 4 consolidate this transition, an active outreach ■ Promote a shared understanding of the breadth of programme and citizen science programme will be social scientific knowledge related to the challenge developed. of transformational systemic change with technical partners and wider stakeholders including the The ERA partnership provides an ideal environment for public. ENERGY SYSTEM both academia and industry to understand and shape Elicit local, differentiated understandings end-user and consumer attitudes and choices towards ■ and perspectives of the challenge, energy use low-carbon solutions, as well as the opportunity for behaviours and practices, prevailing constraints/ BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE meaningful engagement with local communities and enablers and future visions of transformative wider stakeholders on the social change needed to change through workshops with local facilitate a low-carbon transition. Having a Energy communities, industry, third sector and policy/ AIM: TO BETTER UNDERSTAND and lack of access to energy services in the region. A System Behavioural Change team as an integral part governance stakeholders. END-USER ENERGY ATTITUDES, key is the facilitation of a ‘just transition’. of the programme will maximise the likelihood of the development of socially acceptable technologies that ■ Compare stakeholder perspectives and visions BEHAVIOURS AND PRACTICES TO A critical question then is not how to achieve a rapid reflect the values and future visions of communities in to identify constraints, limitations, problems and IDENTIFY WHICH INNOVATIONS transition, but how to make transformational social the Midlands. opportunities, and future visions and expose CAN BEST ENABLE A TRANSITION change happen which delivers decarbonisation of these to broader scrutiny and input through a energy and end-use energy demand. This requires ERA has an established network throughout the comprehensive programme of public engagement, TOWARDS A LOW-CARBON FUTURE understanding of local factors, co-creation of Midlands who can help facilitate broad participation citizen science projects and outreach to engage knowledge and future visions, co-design of innovations in the engagement, outreach and citizen science end-users/citizens in the co-design of the in local governance arrangements, business models, SUMMARY programmes to achieve this goal. transitions for change needed to achieve net-zero, skills and capacity building. By actively working with meaning that they are actively invested in these local communities, particularly those in fuel poverty, Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 It is proposed to: solutions, leading to greater impact and uptake. and co-creating low-carbon solutions, ERA aims to will require rapid and far-reaching social and significantly improve the quality of life of individuals Establish a multidisciplinary Energy System ■ Workshops will bring together representatives from technological change. Low-carbon transitions ■ and communities in this region. Behavioural Change team to work across the Big community and stakeholder groups to identify and are often described in terms of change of fuels or Ideas and to identify opportunities and drivers co-design innovations for transformative change industrial decarbonisation, but transitions have for change to facilitate a rapid and just transition towards achieving net-zero by 2050. actually, historically, been associated with major DETAILS ABOUT THE CHALLENGE to net-zero. This Team will work across the fields shifts in energy use activities shaped by wider of human behaviour, social practices, public patterns of economic development and social change. The technological advances developed in ERA’s Big engagement and societal acceptance, socio- Understanding the key factors that communities, Ideas programmes have the potential to make a very Thinking systemically beyond technical systems and sustainability transitions to governments, industry and wider society consider significant contribution to reducing the UK’s carbon include expertise spanning social, technological, individual behaviour change will reveal important to facilitate change is therefore critical. emissions. In addition to the adoption of low-carbon environmental, economic, policy/governance new opportunities for interventions to The development of innovative technologies, technologies, societal level changes in energy-using innovation and change. business models and policies incorporating social, behaviours, practices such as those related to food achieve the scale and momentum of environmental and economic considerations will preparation, heating and cooling, and transportation social change required to achieve net- help lower both emissions and the amount of energy are also needed if ERA is to have a profound and zero by 2050. demanded by industrial and domestic end-users sustained impact on carbon emissions reduction. through changes in societal attitudes and behaviours shaped by everyday energy practices. For example, social changes in mobility patterns and home-working during the COVID-19 pandemic The aim of the Energy System Behavioural Change have the potential to lead to sustained changes in Theme is to work alongside the Big Ideas to energy use if supported by innovations in planning, understand the diversity of end-user energy attitudes, transport, ICT and public policies that will boost behaviours and choices, and capability to change, in economic growth and job creation and build a the context of the wider socioeconomic environment cleaner and fairer energy system in the Midlands. in which they are embedded. Thinking systemically The social change observed during the pandemic beyond individual behaviour change will reveal new provides an unprecedented opportunity to apply opportunities for interventions to achieve the scale learning (both positive and negative) to the climate and momentum of social change required to achieve change challenge. Understanding the values, net-zero by 2050. knowledge and future visions emerging from lived experience and local energy practices during the The Midlands is a key hub of energy economic activity lockdown will help identify which socioeconomic yet, despite this, it has a concentration of the most and technical innovations (such as business models, deprived Local Authority Districts. Rapid deployment social institutions, skills training, capacity building, of low-carbon solutions could perpetuate, or and policy/governance approaches) can best act exacerbate, stark inequalities related to fuel poverty as catalysts for sustained social change. To help
52 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 53 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 5 SECTOR SKILLS In addition, whilst it is recognised that the skills agenda for the wider sector is a substantial activity in its’ own right, ERA will work in collaboration with SKILLS other key stakeholders to:
■ Help identify future needs for apprenticeship and reskilling programmes as the sector transitions. ■ Develop specific skills programmes in particular AIM: TO DELIVER A SUSTAINABLE attracting industry-matched funding to research thematic areas, such as in relation to the need PIPELINE OF FUTURE ENERGY LEADERS industry-derived research challenges and address to transform the provision of heat to homes and high-level skills shortages. the likely investment in skills needed to provide a AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ■ Post-Doctoral: Complementing and scaling workforce to do this. The intention is that this will EXPERTS WHO CAN SUPPORT THE the work of the recent £4m Research England be coordinated by the Energy Systems Catapult UK’S TRANSITION TO THE NET-ZERO Development Fund investment in postdoctoral as part of the National Centre for Decarbonisation TARGET. researchers to establish the Centre for of Heat. Post-doctoral Development for Research in ■ Develop an Energy Academy which would focus Infrastructure, Cities and Energy (C-DICE), engaging on skills development at the Higher Education/ SUMMARY ERA postdocs as a talent pipeline for working with apprenticeship level where there is a perceived We will ensure future generations industry. skills gap. are inspired to pursue careers in R&D The vision for phase 2 of ERA Skills is to contribute ■ Technicians: Extending the skills programme to in a wide range of sectors and show to the ongoing energy revolution through the include technicians both with ERA partners and development of people, by addressing the pressing that science is for everyone” beyond. To deliver this, ERA will partner with the Figure 8: ERA Learning Academy Vision demand for high-level skills in the energy sector to Research England TALENT programme to access meet the net-zero carbon and clean growth objectives. Rt Hon Alok Sharma, MP, UK R&D specific expertise in relation to the needs and roadmap ERA Skills, over the next five years, will develop the interests of technicians. We will also engage with research leaders required to deliver to these targets, the Midlands Innovation Technical Staff Strategy and will establish the transition pathway required to Group which brings together technical managers arning Aca deliver the innovation demanded by net-zero. A Le dem from ERA’s partner institutions. ER y
■ Continuing Professional Development: Establish Y Exec Educ D & atio KEY RESEARCHER SKILLS a suite of executive education packages, for UK CP n industry (linked to the apprenticeships levy) and Undergraduate/Further Education/Schools It is proposed to work across the different stages TH A rly Ca for the international market to cement ERA’s place d Ea reer of development, providing an integrated skills an Re treach act t es Apprent cesh ps as a leader in research and skills, and to create a PA c s o ea td r DTP octoral ra n ng Partnersh p programme for the research environment: s c sustainable model. al Tra h to Ph le el o tor ini P oc ng ■ Schools and undergraduates: Coordinate a D Early career training Post octoral an To facilitate this ERA will: early career researcher s pport series of placements and secondments which will allow undergraduate and school-age students Developing Communities of Practice around the six Lifelong learning P an e ec t e ■ tra n ng to experience the energy research environment, Big Ideas for skills development and coordinating UG/FE Schools ERA Skills Academy building on pre-existing successful placement across the cross-cutting themes to provide
models. networking across academic career stages and TRANSITIONAL arning Aca industry. These will form the basis of a networkA Le dem ■ Undergraduate and post-graduate: Work with ER y our partner universities to establish a joint energy across the career development pathway for each
Big Idea area, bringingY together PhD students, post- teaching resource and encourage sharing of Exec Educ docs, technicians, research fellows and establishedD & atio KEY specialised energy teaching across the partners. CP n academics. ■ Doctoral-level: Establish ERA Big Ideas cohorts of Undergraduate/Further Education/Schools TH A arly Car doctoral researchers and will promote synergies ■ Establish an ERA Concordat Action Plan. d E eer an Re treach act t es Apprent cesh ps PA oc se between the Big Ideas themes and create robust ■ Establish a transparent process for ERA researchers,d a DTP octoral ra n ng Partnersh p t rc collaborative networks extending beyond the at all career stages, to become part of thes ERA h o oral Train to Ph le el P ct i project’s lifetime. o ng Community. D Early career training Post octoral an ■ Doctoral-level: Provide high-level skills ■ Provide training and a programme of activities early career researcher s pport development at doctoral level (e.g. placements, on equality, diversity and inclusivity across the Lifelong learning P an e ec t e secondments, conferences, specialist skills breadth of the partnership, working from studentsUG/FE tra n ng training), creating cohorts of researchers, and through to senior academics (see page 56). Schools ERA Skills Academy TRANSITIONAL
54 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 55 CROSS-CUTTING THEME 6 EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY
AIM: TO PLACE EQUALITY, DIVERSITY ■ Establish an Inclusivity Taskforce and undertake a Each of the HEIs affiliated with ERA are committed to AND INCLUSIVITY (EDI) AT THE HEART series of workshops/roundtables to develop a plan for the sector and its members. Key actions may the Athena SWAN Charter (four at ‘bronze’ level and OF ERA TO CREATE AN INCLUSIVE include the following: four at ‘silver’ level), with the majority of partners WORKING ENVIRONMENT, AND ■ Training for senior management, covering for being Stonewall Diversity Champions (6), Members of PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR example adverts, unconscious bias, cultural the Race Equality Charter (6) signed up to Disability UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN THE practices. Confident (7) and having taken the Time to Change ENERGY SECTOR. ■ Establish networks of interested individuals to Employer Pledge (6). develop sector understanding, define needs, provide mutual support and relationship SUMMARY development to help them to overcome barriers. ■ Development of a mentoring and placement The energy sector remains one of the least diverse programme to support the upwards progression sectors both in the UK and internationally. It is clear of individuals both within the academic and that this issue limits the diversity at a senior level both industrial sectors. in industry, where according to Ofgem the median gender pay-gap is around 20%, but also across ■ The development of a training programme, such as academia, where diversity issues increase within the a mini-MBA, which can be open to individuals from energy area with seniority of roles. A homogeneous this group to attend to enhance sector knowledge workforce limits creativity and restricts access to and thereby support progression. talent, at a time when both are in high demand to meet the needs of the sector in rising to the challenge Action to ensure ERA’s activities are as diverse of net-zero carbon. Diversity is also important in as possible (no funding requested). Under this addressing the socio-technical challenges that the UK objective we will: faces. ■ Establish an EDI policy and working group to We therefore propose two complementary activities: coordinate the sector wide activity and to ensure that activity across ERA is inclusive. Action to encourage less represented groups to ■ Ensure ERA’s Skills Programme effectively move into senior roles both within academia and in addresses EDI. industry. Under this objective ERA will: ■ For each Big Idea, aim to include at least one ■ Engage with key organisations in the energy sector, fellowship aimed at individuals with protected including both commercial organisations and key characteristics. cross-sector bodies. ■ Work with partners to ensure diverse representation on ERA panels, conferences and
programmes.
56 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 57 SUPPORT AND MATCH-FUNDING
ERA has support from a range of industrial and civic organisations as well as support from CIVIC SUPPORT discussion events. Table 3 below shows how our its research partners with collaborators who have proposed support for this initiative shown proposed projects link into the various LEP ‘s areas including those in the back and front inside covers of this brochure. We have gained support from the programme of activity and future ambition. There are also major from the Midlands Engine who see the proposal as projects such as RESO in Coventry (see our Living strengthening the Midlands focus on energy: Labs section) which would become part of a wider As part of this submission, a selection of letters of ■ Cumulus Energy Storage community of knowledge exchange. support have been submitted in the short time- ■ Day Associates frame which we have been working over, however We also have support from the Midlands Energy ■ E.ON they highlight individual organisations’ interest and Further investment in ERA will place the Hub who work across the LEPs supporting the support for the proposal. Whilst we are currently at ■ EDF Energy Midlands and the UK at the very heart of the implementation of low carbon projects. We have been energy revolution, giving businesses access a difficult time to be requesting funding in kind from ■ Electric Power Research Institute working more closely with them over recent periods organisations we have had a large number of positive to world-class energy expertise and facilities, and plan to continue to develop that relationship with ■ Elexon conversations with both existing and new partners. At and creating new, high-skilled jobs, helping us both working collaboratively across the region. present we have identified £1.4bn combined in match ■ Energy SRS in the effort to level-up the region with other funding and strategically aligned projects from the parts of the country. ....The Midlands Engine ■ Engie industrial organisations we are in discussion with. We wholeheartedly supports the Energy Research RESEARCH PARTNERS’ SUPPORT are confident that whilst we continue to develop these ■ Focus Consultants Accelerator’s bid, and I do hope that you look Our research partners, include our eight university conversations and over the lifetime of any funding ■ Freeland Horticulture Ltd favourably upon their proposal”. that we will be able to deliver a similar level of match partners, the British Geological Survey, plus Energy ■ Geely Systems and Connected Places Catapults and the funding to ERA I (i.e. 2:1). We have support from a number of LEPs and councils ■ Intelligent Energy Manufacturing Technology more details on their in the region, including Coventry and Warwickshire, specialist areas of activity are given on pages 66–69. INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT ■ James Hutton Institute D2N2, GBS, Greater Lincolnshire, Leicestershire LEPs ■ Kew and Birmingham City Council. For example the The university research partners have agreed to Industrial organisations offering support range from Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP stated: ■ Liquid Gas UK continue funding in kind which will support a large energy sector organisations interested in new significant amount of the central team funding solutions to complement their current portfolio of ■ Microx required – this totals around £1.5 million in total. activities, to users of energy and transport looking ■ Network Rail The proposal has strong alignment with for lower-carbon solutions, to SMEs active in the In addition to this co-funding likely to be in excess ■ Porterbrook GBSLEP’s strategic priorities as it enables the green energy sector that want to innovate and grow. of that committed during ERA Phase I has been growth of the low carbon business sector, There are over 40 companies that have indicated ■ Renewable Energy Association identified. supported through the delivery of the Low their support for partnering with ERA on one or more ■ Severn Trent Carbon Sector Action Plan as part of the Local of the 'Big Ideas' and 'Cross-cutting Themes' in this ■ Birmingham are committing £800k to the ■ Siemens Industrial Strategy. document. These companies are listed below. development of the Innovation Hub at Tyseley
■ Sky East Energy Park and on-going work with the West Argent Energy Furthermore, this proposal will help to Midlands Combined Authority and Greater ■ ■ Synthos Green Energy address some of the biggest challenges posed Birmingham and Solihull LEP to identify, fund and ■ BP ■ Tyseley Energy Park by the climate and Covid-19 emergencies, by deliver low carbon projects. Cadent delivering clean growth and green recovery ■ ■ Vital Energi opportunities, which are critical to enable ■ Aston anticipates a contribution of £1–2 million from ■ Cambridge Carbon Capture ■ Wave Industries long-term economic stability and prosperity”. the university in the form of staff time, infrastructure Cenex investment, ERA badged studentships and use of ■ ■ Western Power equipment and facilities. ■ Central England Co-operative Distribution As with many civic organisations support in kind ■ Many of the universities are also likely to provide ■ Centrica ■ Worcester Bosch will be via staff engagement in our projects and programmes as they take place in their area and studentships aligned with the programme, such as ■ City Clean Autogas ■ WSP attendance at our regular dissemination and Warwick who invested £1 million in the previous ■ CoGen phase of ERA.
58 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 59 ■ Loughborough has identified £2.3 million in in- CATAPULTS kind funding it provided for ERA Phase I, with a similar expectation for Phase II. The projects also align with key areas of activity for our Catapult partners – the Energy Systems Catapult ■ Keele has identified around £1 million in match and the Connected Places Catapult. For example, the funding it will provide. CPC commented: ■ Cranfield has offered £1.25 million in match.
■ Other universities will provide similar amounts and this will obviously relate to the specific These ideas are aligned with our own areas projects they are involved in. of strategic interest, specifically helping places achieve net zero through adoption of new forms of mobility, data and digital Across the partnership we also have projects that we infrastructure………CPC has existing will integrate ERA-2 with, for example: networks and programmes with academia and the SME community which we would The Centre for Postdoctoral Development in ■ be delighted to introduce to the project in Infrastructure, Cities and Energy (C-DICE) brings support your ambitions, alongside offering together ERA with the UK Collaboratorium for dissemination opportunities through our Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) events and engagement programme. to develop deep technical skills has been funded by a £4 million four-year investment from the Research England Development Fund, plus £3.4 million in cash and in-kind commitments from 18 MTC leading research-intensive UK universities, related research associations and institutes. MTC plans to support the Smart Manufacturing component of NCDH in both the manufacturing scale- ■ Cranfield University’s HyPER project with £7.5 up of existing low carbon heat technologies, and in million of BEIS funding to examine the potential the development of designs and standards that will for low-carbon hydrogen to be the clean fuel of the allow next generation technologies to integrate into future. evolving energy systems. ■ Keele University’s £15 million Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) project, and the £8.5 million HyDeploy project, the UK’s first at- scale hydrogen-blended gas network. The MTC plans to support the Smart Manufacturing component of NCDH in both ■ Keele’s involvement in UK Zero Carbon Rugeley. the manufacturing scale-up of existing low carbon heat technologies, and in the development of designs and standards that will allow next generation technologies to integrate into evolving energy systems."
60 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 61 MAPPING REGIONAL INTERESTS STRENGTHS BY LEP AREA Table 3: Alignment with Local Enterprise Partnerships 1. ENERGY 2. DECARBONISING 3. SYSTEM 4. INTEGRATING 5. ALTERNATIVE 6. LOW-CARBON STRENGTHS AND IDENTIFIED AMBITION/ RESEARCH STORAGE HEAT SIMULATION, RESOURCE RECOVERY FUELS INTER AND LEP OPPORTUNITIES PARTNERS DATA, DIGITAL AND WITH ENERGY INTRA-URBAN INFORMATICS PRODUCTION TRANSPORTATION ■ Low-carbon technologies, energy and clean growth WMCA (including ► Production and Future mobility and logistics technology, including automotive battery Greater Birmingham ■ Utilisation of development and drive trains Biochar ► Micromobility and Solihull, Coventry ► National ► WESS ► Tyseley ■ Modular construction of low energy homes. Aston, Birmingham, ► Recovery and and electric Centre for ► National Data and Warwickshire, and Energy Systems ► Tyseley Recycling of ► National Centre for vehicles Decarbonising Centre Black Country) Catapult, Warwick Critical Materials Alternative Fuels ► Birmingham Heat ► Digital Twin ► Recovery and Airport Recycling of Plastics
■ Clean growth and renewable energy D2N2 – Derby, ► Production and ► National Centre for ■ Future investments and research for smooth transition Utilisation of Alternative Fuels Derbyshire, ► Potential former ► Trent Basin. ■ Specialisms in fuel technology, energy engineering, power technology and Nottingham, British Biochar ► ► East Midlands Nottingham, power station ► Minewater ► Digital Twin Production of chemical engineering. Geological Survey ► Recovery and Airport site geothermal hydrogen using Nottinghamshire LEP Recycling of nuclear energy Plastics ► ■ Advanced Logistics, including skills, low-carbon pilot and global cargo Advanced logistics, global cargo Leicester and capability and potential Free Trade Zone at East Midlands Airport ► Recovery and Leicester, ► Potential free trade Leicestershire LEP ■ Low-carbon economy e.g. with Food and Drink Manufacturing, and keen to Recycling of Loughborough zone and East support take up of low-carbon business support initiatives. Critical Materials Midlands Airport
■ Sustainable energy programme, including Europe’s first at scale Smart Stoke and Staffordshire Energy Network Demonstrator ► Storage ► Keele LEP ■ District Heating supporting ► HyDeploy University’s Keele ■ Opportunity to create a unique local energy offer based upon existing and more local ► District heating SEND new assets and investment in emerging technologies and energy supply renewables programme chain development. ■ Halving the energy of new buildings by 2030 South East Midlands ► Greener vehicles, LEP ■ Renewable energy, smart and connected transport solutions, and greener connected vehicles ► Storage transport supporting ■ Continued investment in the area’s aerospace and advanced engineering ► ► Freight more local Aerospace fuels excellence, and by pioneering the use of innovative freight technologies and ► Production and ► technologies renewables ‘HyPER-2’ H2 demand-responsive transport Cranfield ► Building energy Utilisation of ► Demand- ► Energy storage production rig at Biochar response ■ Identify, support and disseminate best practice from energy ‘beacon – Solar-thermal Cranfield transport projects’ – such as distributed generation and active network management molten salts rig ■ Support SMEs to engage in energy related innovation and energy-efficient at Cranfield ► Digital air traffic practices control at Cranfield
Interest in energy from commercial waste, anaerobic digestion and biofuels ► Humber ports ■ ► Energy from Greater Lincolnshire Initial conversations ► ■ Support for EV charging and hydrogen fuel cell tech. commercial Biofuels LEP via LEP and Midlands ► EV charging waste, anaerobic ► Hydrogen and fuel Energy Hub digestion cells
Net importer of energy ■ ► Storage Worcestershire LEP Initial conversations ■ Ambition to increase local zero carbon energy generation supporting via LEP and Midlands more local ■ Offenham geothermal resource. Energy Hub renewables
■ Potential for renewable (biomass, solar, wind and anaerobic digestion) The Marches LEP ■ Significantly constrained electrical grid for new developments and energy Initial conversations ► High transport ► Heat in rural ► Anaerobic generation assets via LEP and Midlands ► Enhanced grid emissions due to households digestion ■ High transport emissions due to rural nature Energy Hub rurality ■ Significant areas off the gas grid and areas of fuel poverty.
62 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 63 LEADERSHIP,
MANAGEMENT AND ERA Steering Committee: Representatives from body which will monitor theme progress. Each Big Midlands Innovation, Energy Systems Catapult and Idea and Cross-Cutting Theme will have a lead and ERA’s Director and Programme Development Manager for the Cross-Cutting Themes these will be subgroups DELIVERY will provide the reporting lines to Innovate-UK and which will be convened with a chair drawn from the ERA partner institutions. This will have overall the research committee. The Equality, diversity and responsibility for the financial management of the inclusivity cross-cutting activity will be a core theme The Energy Research Accelerator management structure is well-established from Phase 1 of programme, delivery of the key outcomes of the work driven by the Research Committee, but also ensuring the programme and is built around the two lines of responsibility to the funder (Innovate- packages and project milestones. The Chair will be a it is embedded in all of the strands that connect into member of the MI Board. the Research Committee. UK) and to the partner institutions. Research Committee: Brings together the academic Industrial Advisory Board: Has a membership of Figure 9: Proposed working structure for engagement between representatives from the ERA partners. It is this 12 industrial partner organisation, independently regionally focused energy organisations within the Midlands region group that sets and shapes the research programme, chaired by an external member. The IAB’s role is to ensures connectivity with the broader academic ensure that the ERA project aligns with business and community and steers the programme against the industry priorities. Advice is provided through the ERA backdrop of evolving national priorities. Theme leads director and Programme Development Manager to the for the Big Ideas and Cross-Cutting Themes will be Research Committee. Midlands Innovate UK members of the Research Committee and it is this Midlands Engine Innovation
Figure 10: Proposed regional energy coordination ERA Steering and oversight, including ERA Committee
Industrial Advisory Research Midlands Engine Executive and Operations Board Providing pan-Midlands oversights and connectivity in other Midlands initiatives Board Committee Oversight
Leadership Midlands Energy Partnership Board Bringing together the regional energy leadership including
Skills Policy Support Business Behavioural Development and Regional Support and Change Advice Development Midlands Energy Midlands Projects in Energy Research Energy Hub Places Cross-cutting Observatory Accelerator insight, Supporting local Energy Providing Delivering The programme is led by the Director and managed Midlands and the UK. Through MI ERA connects to the innovation, implementation Innovation Zones research, analysis and transformative and specialist and Living by the Programme Development Manager. There is Midlands Engine - a partnership that brings together demonstration insights to energy RI&D in energy expertise Laboratories a small central team which in future would be part public sector partners and businesses to complement and support Midlands topics of in the region across the funded through university subscription and part the activity of local and combined authorities, LEPs, implementation partner decision importance to Midlands sharing making Midlands and UK expertise, data through core funding from the programme. The core universities, businesses and others. If successful ERA and insights team will contain skills development, marketing and proposes to work more closely with the Midlands comms, business engagement and the policy support Engine, the Midlands Energy Hub and the West lead. The intent is to enhance the support that the Midlands Observatory. The structure proposed below Tysley Keele University Campus South Humber partner institutions are already able to provide. is currently being discussed between the various Rugely Trent Basin Coventry regional organisations. Black Country Geo-energy test bed UK Central The ERA university partners are bound together East Midlands Digital Twins of Birmingham Airport through Midlands Innovation - a collaboration In terms of ERA’s day to day governance there will Development Co Birmingham & Nottingham between the eight research intensive universities in be a number of key committees to ensure overall the Midlands. The ambition of MI is to drive cutting management of the programme from a strategic, Energy Innovation Zones Living Laboratories edge research, innovation and skills development that financial and technical perspective. will grow the high-tech, high-skilled economy of the
64 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 65 KEELE UNIVERSITY ENERGY RESEARCH ACCELERATOR’S Keele University is the home of the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND). A European first, this world-class demonstrator facility for smart energy research and development enables the testing and evaluation of RESEARCH PARTNERS new and evolving energy technologies. Working collaboratively with Siemens, ENGIE, Cadent and local partner companies the SEND programme provides the opportunity to assess the efficiency of these new technologies in terms of energy reduction, cost
and CO2 emissions. One of the most interesting energy research projects taking place at Keele is HyDeploy where a 20% hydrogen blend is being injected into the campus heating system. If rolled out across the UK it ASTON UNIVERSITY could save around 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the road. The Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University is committed to the research and development of sustainable energy technologies and solutions. Its team of internationally-renowned UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER researchers focuses on methods of generating energy, fuels and chemicals from biomass, wastes and residues. The University of Leicester has a varied energy research programme coupled to extensive international academic and industrial collaborations ERA’s investment in EBRI has resulted in new state-of-the-art equipment that are leading the way in the search for alternative energy sources and including a surface imaging machine, a photo-electrical platform and greater energy efficiency. a bioreactor suite. EBRI leads a range of engagement activities which Through ERA’s investment, Leicester is playing a leading role in advancing stimulate innovation and knowledge transfer between businesses, the safety and performance of cell materials and chemistries. These scientists and chemical engineers across renewable biomass, biorefining, include the development of novel electrolyte technologies to implement bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts. the aluminium rechargeable cell. The University of Leicester is also developing novel methods for recycling and recovery of critical raw materials from spent cells. UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
The Birmingham Energy Institute at the University of Birmingham has LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY over 200 academics engaged in energy-related research and development projects worth more than £200 million. It is driving technology innovation Loughborough’s energy research priorities include energy transformation, and developing the thinking required to solve the challenges facing energy storage and energy demand. It is also the home of CREST (Centre the UK as it seeks to develop sustainable energy solutions in transport, for Renewable Energy Systems Technology) and has overseen the research electricity and heat supply. and development of the most progressive renewable energy technologies, collaborating with industry and international academic networks. ERA has supported a number of developments involving the University of Birmingham, including the revolutionary ‘Factory in a Box’ initiative at the Research activities at CREST cover a range of technical applications, MTC, which provides a portable, remotely operated smart manufacturing including wind power, solar PV, energy in buildings, grid connection and solution. The Thermo-Catalytic Reformer (TCR) at Tyseley Energy Park is integration, and energy storage (including hydrogen). ERA’s investment into transforming waste into energy, and the heat storage and cryogenic labs new laboratory equipment supports Loughborough’s leading research . at the University of Birmingham are enabling world-leading research to be delivered. UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM The University of Nottingham has several research themes with the CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY common goal of developing sustainable energy solutions. Its mission is to develop the best future talent in energy across the sciences, engineering Cranfield’s expertise in energy and power covers a range of the potential ® and social sciences and to create world-class research facilities to support energy solutions. The University’s expertise is supported by unique innovation and collaboration. industrial scale experimental facilities across many different kinds of energy systems. ERA’s involvement with the University of Nottingham includes the development of the Research Acceleration and Demonstration (RAD) These include an ocean systems laboratory, gas turbines, an anaerobic building, a £12 million facility which is home to state-of-the-art digestion plant, and high temperature coating test facilities. Cranfield’s laboratories for compressed air energy storage, hydrogen, materials postgraduate community includes around 200 MSc students from around analysis and carbon capture. Additional ERA funded facilities run by the the globe and 150 full-time doctoral students. Cranfield graduates are University include the Trent Basin community energy programme and the working in engineering and management roles across the energy industry Hydrothermal Carbonisation plant which is operational at Immingham and putting their learning into practice. with the company CPL.
66 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 67 UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK THE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (MTC) The University of Warwick has expertise in a range of energy research areas including electrical power, energy management, storage, low- The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) was established in 2010 as carbon transport and thermal energy. an independent Research and Technology Organisation (RTO), to bridge the gap between academia and industry – often referred to as ‘the valley The Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) is a world-class facility for battery of death’. The MTC is one of the largest of the seven centres making up research and innovation. ERA’s investment enabled the University to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, representing one of the largest secure their bid to be part of the £246 million Faraday Challenge, a public sector investments in UK manufacturing. Over the following ten national investment into battery research. The EIC facilities at Warwick years the MTC’s rapid growth has seen the expansion of the campus with are used by leading industrial partners who use them to develop the construction of four more facilities, including the opening of the technologies in energy storage, energy machines, drives and systems. Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre and the National Centre for ERA also invested in new thermal laboratories in Warwick’s School of Additive Manufacturing. Engineering, which introduced new technologies associated with the The MTC’s role has also increased to cover not only traditional development of materials for use in both high and low temperature manufacturing R&D but also training, business management, SME applications and also sorption heat pump technologies. productivity improvement support, start-up incubation and Factory/ Supply Chain/Product Design. In addition to working with traditional manufacturers and sectors, the MTC leads the Construction Innovation THE BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (BGS) Hub, the flagship programme in the Transforming Construction Industrial The British Geological Survey (BGS) is the UK’s premier provider Strategy Challenge, which is creating the product platform systems for of objective and authoritative geoscientific data, information and procurement of all government buildings, to ensure they achieve net-zero. knowledge, to help society use its natural resources responsibly, manage environmental change, and be resilient to environmental hazards.
ERA has funded a GeoEnergy Test Bed for BGS, a £2.4 million investment which has involved the drilling of 11 boreholes at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington site. The geology is similar to that of the North Sea and the boreholes include deep and shallow injection wells SOME OF ERA’S CIVIC SUPPORTERS which can be used to monitor the motion of gases and liquids through natural pathways in the subsurface after injection.
THE ENERGY SYSTEMS CATAPULT The mission of the Energy Systems Catapult is to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system, unleash innovation and open new markets to capture the clean growth opportunity. The Catapult is an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence that bridges the gap between industry, government, academia and research. It takes a whole-systems view of the energy sector, helping to identify and address innovation priorities and market barriers, in order to decarbonise the energy system at the lowest cost.
THE CONNECTED PLACES CATAPULT The Connected Places Catapult accelerates smarter living and travelling in and between the places of tomorrow. It focuses on growing businesses through innovations in mobility services and the built environment which enable new levels of physical, digital and social connectivity. The Connected Places Catapult operates at the intersection between public and private sectors and between local government and transport authorities. It helps innovators navigate the complexity of doing business, creating new commercial opportunities and improving productivity, socio-economic and environmental benefits for places.
68 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 69 ERA PUBLICATIONS
For more information about the work of the Energy Research Accelerator, visit our downloads page. This page includes publications about our technologies, capabilities and achievements, as well as links to videos of various events about several of the Big Ideas featured in this document. Visit our ERA download page at:
era.ac.uk/ERA-Downloads CONTACTS
Professor Martin Freer, Director [email protected]
Faye McAnulla, Programme Director [email protected]
Nick King, Marketing Manager [email protected]
era.ac.uk
70 Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal Energy Research Accelerator Phase 2 proposal 71 FUNDED BY DELIVERED BY SUPPORTED BY
© ERA, 2020. Published September 2020.
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