New materials for sustainable energy technologies

 

The event was hosted by the Environment, Sustainability and Energy Forum (ESEF) and the Materials Chemistry
Forum (MCF) and was sponsored by the EPSRC. The workshop brought together materials chemists and scientists working on different sustainable energy technologies, to assess present progress and discuss a future strategy for the UK. 

Chaired by Professor Peter Bruce (St Andrews), the workshop, heard from a diverse range of speakers, covering the hydrogen economy, photovoltaics, fuel cells, lithium batteries and nuclear energy. 

A series of breakout sessions generated some consensus on the problems for researchers in the UK. 

Strengths in materials research

The workshop report states that fundamental materials chemistry research in the UK is of a high quality and there are pockets of excellence in several areas of relevance to sustainable energy technologies. 

These include photovoltaics, solid state electrochemistry and the synthesis of new functional materials for application in energy saving electronic devices. 

Too few researchers

As demand for cleaner, more efficient and more economical energy production grows, so does the need for scientists and engineers who can provide the necessary technology. 

One of the main problems voiced by workshop participants was the dearth of UK materials chemists working in areas relevant to sustainable energy technologies. 

Long term, multi-disciplinary thinking

The report considers that long-term thinking is also essential to reflect the strategic importance of the area. Longterm support for both responsive mode and targeted funding programmes would ensure the continuity of 

research projects and personnel within universities. There is notable progress in the UK towards this aim, including the EPSRC’s SUPERGEN initiative and the recently established UK Energy Research Centre. 

Multi-disciplinary working is critical in advancing research in sustainable energy technologies, but little incentive exists to carry out such research in the UK. Contributing factors such as the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and a lack of communication between different disciplines are singled out in the RSC report. In particular there is a lack of contact between chemists and chemical engineers. 

Criticisms of a lack of central infrastructure to bring energy related research together may now be addressed by the UK Energy Research Centre established in 2004 and funded by the UK Research Councils form 5 years. The centre has its headquarters at Imperial College. It aims to pursue its own whole-systems research programme and establish a National Energy Research Network to bring coherence to the diverse range of UK energy research activities. 

The ‘development gap’

Another major issue identified in the workshop report is the need to bridge the gap between academic research and the initial stages of technology development. 

Large-scale collaboration is needed to drive early-stage development work. The ‘development gap’ stems from the lack of funding for the initial stages of development and the cultural divide between academia and industry. In addition, the decline in large-scale corporate R&D investment is particularly acute in the UK. Opportunities to collaborate with industry and the availability of additional industry funding are no longer as widely and readily available. The report recommends tax breaks and other financial incentives to encourage industry to invest in the initial scale-up and development phases of bringing sustainable energy technologies to market. 

Follow all research avenues

Workshop participants found it difficult to predict which sustainable energy technologies were likely to be dominant in 50 years time and were adamant that the UK must not narrow its focus to preclude any research avenues. It is certain that the field in general will grow in importance as our need for alternative energy supplies becomes more immediate. Will the UK be equipped with the materials technology to meet this need?