Nottingham uni launches green tech research wing

Funds of £8m already raised

By Lucy Sherriff • Get more from this author

Posted in Science, 28th November 2006 12:36 GMT

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The University of Nottingham is launching a research institute dedicated to developing clean energy technologies.

The research centre will be headed by Professor Colin Snape (a factoid that will no doubt delight legions of Harry Potter fans).

He commented: "Under the looming threat of global climate change and our hunger for cost-effective and environmentally-friendly energy, new clean fossil technologies linked to carbon capture and storage, hydrogen fuel cells and natural sources of power such as solar and wind energy will all play a vital role in changing the way in which we use energy worldwide."

Areas of interest include developing reducing fossil fuels' carbon emissions and carbon storage; hydrogen and fuel cells generally; renewable energy sources - from wind and solar to energy crops such as sugar beet; and green infrastructure.

The institute will also consider the social impact and risk of the new technologies, including an assessment of the potential impact of restructuring the coal industry in Ukraine.

The research will see international cooperation between academia and industry, the university says, and aims to develop technology that is not only green, but affordable and sustainable.

Over 100 scientists and engineers from various disciplines and backgrounds will work through the institute, and projects will be funded by the UK's research councils, the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), and the European Union. So far, the total budget has topped £8m.

The institute officially opens this Wednesday. ®

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