Friday 11 March 2011

Lancaster University launches energy research centre

A research centre that gives a new home to energy projects has been opened by Charles Hendry at Lancaster University.

The centre, called Energy Lancaster, will bring together researchers at Lancaster who are currently working on 47 energy-related projects worth £4 million.

Centre Director Professor Colin Boxall said: "Energy Lancaster will give us another platform to share our ideas, knowledge and discoveries in this important field, ultimately enabling us to have a greater impact on the world around us."

Energy Minister Charles Hendry said this approach could be used across the UK. He told ELN at the launch: "We now have to recognise that we all have a vested interest in energy security, and low carbon, affordability and energy efficiency.

"By bringing together the skills which you've got here across the university, and in terms of how you change people's behaviour - so it's not just the energy and engineering skills, but how we look at all of those issues together - we stand to make great progress."

Key research themes in Energy Lancaster will include: energy policy, nuclear energy, renewable energy, low carbon enterprises and transport.