News Release

New SUPERGEN Hub to set UK's energy storage course

Business Announcement

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

A new, £4 million, collaboration between academics and industry that will set the direction and development of research and technologies in Energy Storage, was unveiled today by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), on behalf of the Research Councils UK Energy Programme.

The SUPERGEN Energy Storage Hub will draw experts together from seven universities and fourteen industrial and governmental partners. They will address the technical and scientific challenges facing the wide variety of energy storage techniques.

Led by Professor Peter Bruce FRS based at the University of Oxford, the Hub will develop a shared vision for energy storage in the UK by developing the first integrated national roadmap for energy storage by engaging with the wider community.

Welcoming the funding Professor Bruce said: "Energy storage is more important today than at any time in human history. It has a vital role to play in storing electricity from renewable sources and is key to the electrification of transport. The SUPERGEN Hub will be working with industry, government and the education system to improve the performance of electrochemical, mechanical and thermal devices, develop and tested new materials and optimize thermodynamic processes. All against a background of robust integrated systems."

The Hub will work with its industrial partners to accelerate the pull through of research to scale up, prototyping and commercialisation. Philip Nelson EPSRC's CEO said: "Developing efficient energy storage technologies and infrastructure is crucial to decarbonising and strengthening our energy system and security. Working with industry, this new SUPERGEN Hub will move the UK closer to where it needs to be for a safer, more sustainable future."

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For media enquiries contact:

The EPSRC Press Office, Tel: 01793 444 404, e-mail: pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

Universities involved in the Hub are:

Imperial College London
University of Cambridge
University of Birmingham
University of Oxford
University of Bath
University of Southampton
University of Warwick

The Research Councils UK (RCUK) Energy Programme

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grants funding as part of the Research Councils' UK Energy Programme.

The Research Councils UK Energy Programme led by EPSRC aims to position the UK to meet its energy and environmental targets and policy goals through world-class research and training. The Energy programme is investing more than £625 million in research and skills to pioneer a low carbon future. This builds on an investment of £839 million over the past eight years.

The Energy Programme brings together the work of EPSRC and that of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK's main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests around £800 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. The areas covered range from information technology to structural engineering, and mathematics to materials science. This research forms the basis for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone's health, lifestyle and culture. EPSRC works alongside other Research Councils with responsibility for other areas of research. The Research Councils work collectively on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. http://www.epsrc.ac.uk


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