SUPERGEN takes a new approach to supporting research into sustainable power generation and supply. This multidisciplinary initiative is managed and led by EPSRC in partnership with BBSRC, ESRC, NERC and the Carbon Trust. The initiative aims to help the UK meet its environmental emissions targets through a radical improvement in the sustainability of power generation and supply. Researchers work in consortia, multidisciplinary partnerships between industry and universities, focused on major programmes of work. This promotes interaction, generation of new ideas and transfer of research results as well as significant step changes in tackling broad challenges rather than incremental progress.

SUPERGEN Consortia

The first consortia were launched in November 2003 and a total of thirteen consortia have now been funded or approved for funding. These consortia will establish a platform for the development of new and improved products for efficient and sustainable power generation and supply in the areas of:

• Marine energy – energy from the seas around our coastline. Led by Robert Gordon and Edinburgh Universities (£2.6 million over 4 years).
• Future network technologies – ensuring the continuance a reliable supply of power to the UK. Led by Imperial College London and the University of Strathclyde (£3.4 million over 4 years).
• Hydrogen energy – producing, storing, distributing and using sustainable hydrogen as an energy carrier. Led by the Universities of Oxford and Bath (£3.5 million over 4 years).
• Biomass, biofuels and energy crops – using fast growing crops as a renewable fuel supply. Led by Aston and Leeds Universities (£2.9 million over 4 years).
• Photovoltaic (solar cell) materials – generating electrical energy from sunlight using advanced wafer silicon and thin film devices. Led by the University of Wales, Bangor and the University of Durham (£3.1 million over 4 years).
• Conventional power plant lifetime extension – extending the useful lives of our existing power stations. Led by Alstom and Loughborough University (£2.1 million over 4 years).
• Fuel cells – clean, highly efficient devices for producing power. Led by Imperial College London and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (£2.1 million over 4 years).
• Highly distributed power systems – assessing the impact of smaller generators and incorporating these into the grid. Led by Strathclyde and Loughborough Universities (£2.6 million over 4 years).
• Energy storage – developing new materials to advance rechargeable lithium ion battery and supercapacitor technologies. Led by the Universities of Strathclyde and Bath (£2.2 million over 4 years).
• Excitonic solar cells – exploring the potential for the next generation of photovoltaic devices, focussing on organic and dye sensitised photovoltaic systems. Led by the University of Bath (£1.1 million over 4 years).

More consortia have been announced in the areas of:

• Wind energy – harnessing one of the UK’s most abundant natural resources as a major source of renewable energy.
• Energy infrastructure – developing the UK transmission and distribution network to meet the challenges of decentralised and intermittent electricity generation and life extension.
• Biofuel cells – fuel cells that mimic, reproduce or use biological systems.

We fund consortia through calls for proposals and welcome suggestions for future activities. If you have an idea for a research consortium and would like to discuss it with us, please email supergen@epsrc.ac.uk.

A brochure, SUPERGEN - Powering the Future, introduces the challenges being tackled and the research consortia funded.