The University of Nottingham has been selected as a key location for electronics research to support future propulsion, and been chosen to host the power electronics spoke for the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
The APC is a government-industry initiative established by the department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Automotive Council as the delivery mechanism for a joint industry and government strategy. Its aim is to help the UK strengthen its position in advanced propulsion systems development and production.
Power electronics has been identified as a key strategic technology for the automotive industry, and the interests of this sector will be represented through a power electronics spoke. The University of Nottingham and the APC have signed a memorandum of understanding in order to construct a mutually beneficial relationship that fulfills both the aims of the APC and the aspirations of the university.
The APC operates on a hub-and-spoke model with the hub team working with a number of spokes across the UK to deliver support to industry for low carbon propulsion system projects, R&D, skills and process development, and associated activities, wherever needed.
The spokes, which will include The University of Nottingham for power electronics, will be the focus for communities with a common interest in a specific technology, bringing functional, technological and regional capability to the APC network to deliver the vision of a propulsion nation.
Power electronics is a vital technology to underpin the low carbon economy. It is essential in all future sustainable energy scenarios as it is the only technology that can deliver efficient and flexible conversion and conditioning of electrical energy.
With over 120 active researchers, The University of Nottingham’s Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) research group is one of the largest in the field. It also hosts the hub of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for power electronics, the National Centre.
The spoke will help to identify significant challenges that the UK research community and industry will need to address as well as areas of investment necessary to ensure that the community has open access to world-class facilities.
“We are very excited that the APC has chosen The University of Nottingham to host the power electronics spoke,” says professor Andy Long, dean of engineering and professor of mechanics of materials, faculty of engineering.
“It is an opportunity to share our internationally renowned world-class expertise and research, spanning all key power electronic disciplines. The collaboration will further our work towards low carbon propulsion development and production.”
April 1, 2015.