University’s multi-million pound funding award brings net zero closer to reality

November 30th, 2023

The university, in collaboration with Loughborough University, has received a significant funding boost from East Midlands Freeport to accelerate the translation of Nottingham’s zero carbon research into high-impact commercial and policy solutions.

More than five million pounds from East Midlands Freeport, match-funded by the University of Nottingham and Loughborough University, has been pledged to support the first phase of a zero carbon innovation centre, primarily based at Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus.

As part of the university’s ambitious, science-based carbon reduction target to reach net zero by 2040, the innovation centre will provide technology and facilities to progress research in partnership with industry in electrification, hydrogen propulsion systems and advanced manufacturing.

It will enable the university to help consolidate the East Midlands’ position as a world leader in the development and deployment of innovation in green industries, attracting international investment and providing support for global businesses.

Zero Carbon Cluster

Funding for the innovation centre is an endorsement of the development by the university of a Zero Carbon Cluster (ZCC). The ZCC brings researchers from across disciplines who are working with cross-sector partners, including research institutions, councils, industries and economic development institutions.

Find out more about the university’s Zero Carbon Cluster.

Professor Tom Rodden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, said:

“We are building a globally significant Zero Carbon Cluster right here in the East Midlands. By bringing together researchers from a variety of disciplines with a wide range of cross-sector partners, the cluster aims to attract and support top global firms, cultivate local innovation, train people in the skills needed for the net zero transition.”

The Zero Carbon Cluster draws on expertise across the university and our sector-leading breadth of zero carbon research. It has identified electrification and hydrogen propulsion system as the cluster’s initial pathways towards high TRL (technology readiness level) commercial products and services.

The new zero carbon innovation centre will join other world-class facilities, such as the

£40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre, which enable researchers to collaborate with industry to accelerate the translation of zero carbon research into real-world solutions.

Professor Rodden added: “This will not only help tackle the climate crisis but also deliver economic benefits to the East Midlands, as new businesses bring quality jobs to our region. The goal is for the East Midlands to become a global model for a flourishing zero carbon economy.”

East Midlands Freeport is the UK’s only inland Freeport. It has attracted £150m of investment and created 200 skilled jobs.

The first phase of the project, anticipated to complete in spring 2024, is to develop an innovation ecosystem to deliver advanced technologies and manufacturing to reach net zero. The first phase will also see construction begin for a green hydrogen production facility at Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP).

Get in touch with the Zero Carbon Cluster at zerocarboncluster@nottingham.ac.uk.

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£1.3m invested in facilities to improve education and student experience

November 28th, 2023

In October 2022, the university launched its learning spaces design guide as a unifying set of principles to support review of its current estate and to ensure delivery of improved, consistent student experience across all our learning spaces.

The guide forms the basis for development of new facilities and improvements programme of existing ones, as prioritised and managed each year by Learning Environment Steering Group (LESG) and Learning Spaces Operations Group (LSOG), both cross-departmental groups reporting to Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC). 

This programme of improvements led to a £1.3m investment during the 2022-23 academic year, to refurbish existing learning spaces across all UK campuses, from replacing tired furniture to creating dynamic facilities that offer additional flexibility of use. 

Delivered by Estates & Facilities and DTS on behalf of the university, these improvements can be seen in classrooms, computer labs and lecture theatres, as well as study and social spaces for our students. A few of the highlights are included below. 

Collaborative Computer Lab A34, Dearing building, Jubilee campus 

A new large collaborative computer lab seating up to 80 occupants has been installed in Dearing A34 on Jubilee Campus; this will allow us to meet increasing demand for computer lab space on Jubilee and promote new collaborative ways of teaching and learning in computer labs within the university. This follows on from the successful installation of a large, flexible computer lab space in ESLC C13 on University Park ahead of the start of the last academic year. 

A34 Computer Lab_image 001   A34 Computer Lab_image 002   A34 Computer Lab_image 003  

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Flexible Classroom B34, Boots Science building, University Park campus 

The current classroom has had a refresh and new furniture installed. A variety of stackable, folding furniture offers flexibility with the room configuration. Seating numbers capacity remains as previous offering but with a smarter and flexible learning environment achieved. 

B34 Boots Science building_image 001    B34 Boots Science building_image 002   

Lecture Theatres, Lecture Block, Sutton Bonington campus 

A number of lecture theatres have had a refresh and seating re-covered.  Seating numbers capacity remains as previous offering but with a smarter learning environment achieved. 

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UG Student Common Areas design guide 

In 2023 the university started reviewing its portfolio of student common rooms and commissioned a design guide to enhance the user experience by offering some consistency across these spaces. The design guide was approved by Teaching Learning Committee in Sept 2023 and will now be used by Estates and Schools to inform future planning of similar spaces, including new spaces on Castle Meadow Campus.

The common areas design guide establishes baseline standards for all school owned common areas and rooms, recognising that students use common areas in a variety of different ways, creating spaces that can flex and be used for a combination of activities – such as focused study, group work, socialising, eating and relaxing – was key. 

Student Common Areas design guide   

Stavros Pourikas, Capital Projects Manager, said: “The guide and process gathered feedback from stakeholders across the university as well as student representatives to establish priority activities in a common room or common area.

By unifying the spaces under a coherent framework, the guidelines aim to create exceptional supporting environments that enhance the student experience on campus. The process has already proved useful in testing the guide while at the same time securing funds to deliver new or reconfigured common room facilities for the schools of Physics, CLAS and English in time for academic year 2023-2024.” 

Schools of CLAS and English; new UG Common Rooms A90 and B10, Trent building 

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School of Physics; refurbished UG Common Room B8b, Physics building 

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Mark Bradley, Associate PVC for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership, said: ‘Over the last two years, the University has made a step change in setting standards for a wide range of teaching and learning spaces across its campuses.

Our job now is to ensure that our physical and digital infrastructure across the board is brought up to speed to meet those new standards, so that we can enable the best possible student experience across our estate.’ 

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University research partnership results in groundbreaking new industry tech

November 28th, 2023

A partnership which paired researchers from the university with a UK tech company has produced a highly advanced power converter to drive an electric motor that could revolutionise the manufacturing and renewable energy industries.

For the past five years, researchers from the university have worked closely with digital motor control solutions company, Sprint Electric, to develop and prototype the Generis AC regen drive – set to be the next generation in AC drive technology. 

Launched in November at the Smart Production Solutions (SPS) exhibition in Nuremberg, one of the most highly regarded international trade fairs in the field of smart and digital automation solutions; this leap in innovation has been made possible thanks to two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) between researchers at the University of Nottingham’s Power, Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC), and Sprint Electric.  

The aim of a KTP is to connect businesses that have an innovation idea with the academic expertise to develop new products or services, expand markets, and improve efficiency and productivity. In Sprint Electric’s case, it fully embraced the collaborative opportunity, establishing a base at the PEMC at Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus. 

Dr Azlia Abdul Rahman, a PhD graduate recruited to lead the KTP – known as the KTP Associate – explained:

“I was based at these premises for the duration of the second KTP, which meant I was right there in the thick of it and involved at every stage of the research and development lifecycle. I worked closely with Associate Professor Liliana de Lillo as the main academic supervisor, while Professor Pat Wheeler, Head of the PEMC Research Group, oversaw the project.

Liliana was part of a wider team of researchers supporting me in transferring the theoretical knowledge the company needed to develop the technology.

Training Sprint Electric’s staff, documenting everything we did, and writing technical reports was just a fraction of my work – to all intents and purposes I ‘joined’ the company for two years to help make this happen.” 

Sprint Electric have been manufacturing variable speed controllers since 1987, traditionally specialising in the control of DC motors. With the help of the university they’ve removed the need for a DC link in the AC drive, offering several advantages over conventional converters, such as higher efficiency, faster response, and two-way power flow. One of the main applications of matrix converters is in renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines, solar panels, and fuel cells. 

Mark Gardiner, Director of Sprint Electric, said he was delighted at the outcome of the partnership work with the university. He said: “Our experience with KTPs has been a wholly positive one. Not only has it quickly and effectively embedded understanding of a complex technology in our business but it has also established a relationship with the PEMC group that I am confident will continue to deliver benefits to both parties in years to come.” 

It would be easy to view KTPs like consultancy, where a company hires an expert to advise and guide them through a project or period of transformation. But KTPs are so much more, as Andrea McCluskey, Business Development Officer for KTP at the University of Nottingham explained:

“KTPs meld the theory from the academic side with specialist knowledge and expertise from within a business. What they have achieved will absolutely transform Sprint Electric as a company, and part of the electronic motor industry as a whole. Not only will it give them a significant competitive advantage, but it could also completely change the landscape for other businesses now and in the future.” 

And what does the University of Nottingham gain from this achievement? Do the benefits of sharing its extensive knowledge and expertise go beyond merely boosting the profit margin of one individual company?

The answer is a resounding yes – apart from the potential seismic impact on industry, the intensive efforts of the PEMC will act as a case study for the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which evaluates and recognises the contribution made by university research. As well as international recognition and prestige, this could lead to increased research funding for the University in the future and pave the way for further technological improvements and societal change. 

“It is a win-win situation for all parties,” said Andrea. “Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are an invaluable opportunity to establish long lasting professional relationships which have the potential to turn into very valuable strategic relationships between academia and industry. Transferring research into real world applications is the ultimate dream of academics who want to generate real global impact, and this is only possible by working with an industrial partner. 

“You also get to see graduates develop, increasing their knowledge and expertise; the company obviously benefits through increased profits; and the Associates benefit through career development and exposure to industry, sowing the seeds for the next generation of business leaders. KTPs also aim to train future business leaders, in that businesses hope the Associates will stay in industry rather than academia.” 

Sprint Electric unveiled its new AC regeneration drive at the at the Smart Production Solutions (SPS) exhibition in Nuremberg between 14 – 16 November.

Meanwhile the University of Nottingham, through its Knowledge Transfer Partnerships arrangement, will continue to support with the commercialisation of the product once it has launched. 

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