Swansea University and Enserv to develop advanced energy storage systems

A Swansea University research team from the College of Engineering are to form a new partnership with major global energy solutions provider ENSERV POWER.

This new venture will seek to develop and commercialise advanced and sustainable energy storage systems through the newly established interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence: CAPTURE (Circular Applications to Utilise and Retain Energy), with the support of the Institute for Innovative Materials, Processing and Numerical Technologies (IMPACT).

The centre will focus on a circular approach to the manufacture and management of energy storage solutions. Unifying expertise across Swansea University’s Colleges of Engineering and Science, the centre will offer a unique, multifaceted approach to innovative, ground-breaking research on sustainable and scalable manufacturing solutions of energy storage devices.

Executive Director of CAPTURE, Professor Serena Margadonna, comments:

“Our focus is on the conceptualisation, design and modelling from incept of energy storage technologies within a circular economy framework, ensuring optimum use of resources, re-use and recyclability of its components. CAPTURE’s network of collaborative research, facilities and equipment enable companies to develop new technologies and increase their productivity, sustainability and resilience.”

Professor Margadonna continues:

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with ENSERV POWER – a global battery technology developer. Over the years the company has grown to become a major developer of solar plants and energy storage systems in Asia and Oceania with more than 258 MW of photovoltaic parks installed in Thailand alone. With their £1million investment, we are one step closer to offering an innovative approach to future energy storage systems.”

Mr. Tanachat Pochana Founder and Chairman of ENSERV Holding comments:

“The collaboration and support that CAPTURE’s team can provide to ENSERV POWER in terms of world-class research and facilities will most definitely catalyse the successful commercialisation of our innovative energy storage systems. Access to a broad range of expertise and infrastructure which complement our world-wide R&D activities is an invaluable resource. Indeed, the cooperative environment provided by CAPTURE and the Future Manufacturing Research Institute has contributed to the decision of establishing our UK operations in Swansea.

Our global team looks forward to working in partnership with CAPTURE to deliver next-generation sustainable energy storage solutions.”

CAPTURE and ENSERV POWER have been working closely to establish a joint R&D programme ReCharge+, with workstreams focusing on the manufacturing of ultracapacitors, sodium-ion batteries, solid-state electrolytes and Li-S batteries.

Technical Director of CAPTURE, Professor Davide Deganello explains:

“The project aims at developing a complete manufacturing battery and ultracapacitor value chain, which meets the requirements of the circular economy. This will be done through our extensive range of expertise in manufacturing, materials and sustainable design teamed with ENSERV POWER’s expertise in clean energy, energy generation and storage. Our collaboration has been strengthened by the co-location of their R&D Lead for the UK and overseas partners, Dr. Arturas Adomkevicius, to Swansea University.

There are also additional international institutions involved in the project: Monash University (Australia) and The National Institute of Technology, Tsuruoka College (Japan). This partnership, therefore, will further support Swansea’s effort to forge strong international collaborations with Wales.”

Dr. Arturas Adomkevicius, ENSERV POWER R&D Lead for UK and Overseas Partners, comments:

“This collaboration is a vital step that could help rapidly advance the sustainable manufacture of sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulphur batteries and ultracapacitors. It will also ensure that new technologies developed by ENSERV POWER in partnership with CAPTURE will strengthen Wales and the UK position as one of the major battery manufacturing research and development hubs in Europe. I believe, now more than ever, that partnerships such as this are critical to ensure a sustainable manufacture process for high-demand market.”

CAPTURE is part of the Future Manufacturing Research Institute (FMRI) – a research centre that aims to transform the field of manufacturing through a unique combination of expertise and facilities in the areas of digital manufacturing, advanced materials and device design.

The IMPACT operation is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and Swansea University.

Notes to Editors:

IMPACT

The Institute for Innovative Materials, Processing and Numerical Technologies (IMPACT) is a state-of-the-art engineering research institute specialising in fundamental and applied research and innovation in advanced engineering, modelling and materials. The operation has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and Swansea University.

As a Centre of Excellence, IMPACT supports the regional, the UK and global engineering economy with collaborative, fundamental and applied research. The Engineering North building, home to IMPACT, is based at Swansea University Bay Campus and forms part of the College of Engineering – offering a unique colocation facility for academia-industry partnerships within a transformative research environment.

Completed in May 2019, the building comprises of two distinct areas – linked by the central, light filled atrium: a research office building and a laboratory block: with 1,600m2 open plan laboratory space. Together they house 80 single occupancy offices, provide hub space for over 150 researchers and colocation space for 50 industrial and academic collaborators. Externally, the north entrance features a large living wall of plants and flowers, approximately 114m2 square, promoting biodiversity, and providing year-round texture and colour.

The ethos of IMPACT is to foster academia-industry partnerships, promoting cross-disciplinary fertilisation of ideas in the pursuit of new pioneering science and technology. This will be achieved by bringing together first-class expertise from the College, attracting leading talent and partnering with the World’s innovative companies and regional partners.

Designed to BREEAM* excellent standards, it will provide future proof highly specialised laboratories with a dynamic environment for collaboration of industry and academia. This unique operation aims to attract world leading expertise and significant research funding.

*BREEAM is the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. It recognises and reflects the value in higher performing assets across the built environment lifecycle, from new construction to in-use and refurbishment.

Swansea University is a world-class, research-led, dual campus university offering a first-class student experience and has one of the best employability rates of graduates in the UK. The University has the highest possible rating for teaching – the Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2018 and was commended for its high proportions of students achieving consistently outstanding outcomes.

Swansea climbed 14 places to 31st in the Guardian University Guide 2019, making us Wales’ top ranked university, with one of the best success rates of graduates gaining employment in the UK and the same overall satisfaction level as the Number 1 ranked university.

The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 results saw Swansea make the ‘biggest leap among research-intensive institutions’ in the UK (Times Higher Education, December 2014) and achieved its ambition to be a top 30 research University, soaring up the league table to 26th in the UK.

The University is in the top 300 best universities in the world, ranked in the 251-300 group in The Times Higher Education World University rankings 2018. Swansea University now has 23 main partners, awarding joint degrees and post-graduate qualifications.

The University was established in 1920 and was the first campus university in the UK. It currently offers around 350 undergraduate courses and 350 postgraduate courses to circa 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The University has ambitious expansion plans as it moves towards its centenary in 2020 and aims to continue to extend its global reach and realise its domestic and international potential.

Source : eurekalert