Energy R&D at Sheffield, Birmingham and Coventry

New energy-related research initiatives have been announced for three UK universities.

First, the Secretary of State for Business, Sajid Javid, has opened the University of Birmingham’s cryogenic energy storage pilot facility, to explore a technology which uses ‘liquid air’ to store and provide power. The new facility is the UK’s first dedicated research facility for energy storage using cryogenic liquids, comprising new laboratories, equipment and a major demonstration plant.

Liquid air could revolutionise the way energy is stored, reducing the costs of integrating intermittent generation into the electricity system and ensuring power is available when it is most needed, says the University. The cryogenic energy storage plant is connected to the University’s electrical grid, providing a small amount of power to the campus.

Meanwhile, the Leverhulme Trust Board has revealed plans for a new Centre for Climate Change Mitigation, to be led by the University of Sheffield, which will be funded for up to £10mn over ten years. Led by Professor David Beerling, the Leverhulme Centre hopes to revolutionise approaches to climate change mitigation and transform the evidence base needed to alter land management options for mitigating climate change.

The vision is to develop and assess the role of enhanced rock weathering as a means of safely removing large amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while also mitigating ocean acidification. The plan is to deliver these aims through Earth system modelling, lab-based controlled environment experimental investigations and large-scale field studies.

Last, a research and development centre which will play a pivotal role in understanding complex flows, benefitting the energy, manufacturing and process industries, is to open at Coventry University. The new Flow Measurement and Fluid Mechanics Research Centre will embrace new approaches to flow instrumentation and modelling as well as developing better understanding of the fundamentals of flow of gases and liquids used in a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, nuclear, and automotive.