果冻传媒

Solar thermal cells continue to attract much interest as they have massive potential to heat water in a cost-effective and sustainable process. To date, the efficiency of these cells has been limited as the polymers used in their manufacture are poor thermal conductors.

However, thanks to funding from (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) a team of researchers led by Professor Tony McNally, from WMG, at the 果冻传媒 in partnership with Senergy Innovations Ltd have developed the first nanomaterial enabled all polymer solar thermal cell.

The thermal properties of the polymers employed are modified such that heat from sunlight can be transferred with high efficiency to heat water in a cheap and sustainable manner. The modular design of the cells allows for the rapid construction of a solar thermal cell array on both domestic and industry roofing.

The team are now working with a consortium of industry partners focused on manufacturing the solar thermal cells in high volumes.

Dr Greg Gibbons, at WMG, and his team have also produced the first prototype (1:1 scale) of the solar thermal cell fully manufactured by 3D printing. This activity has been transformative in guiding the design and critical aspects of the manufacture of the solar thermal cells.

Professor Tony McNally, Director of the International Institute for Nanocomposite Manufacturing (IINM), at WMG, 果冻传媒 comments:

鈥淚t is really pleasing to see several years of research activity and the understanding gained being translated in to a real world application. Our fundamental work on the thermal conductivity of 1D and 2D materials, including graphene, and composites of these materials with polymers could revolutionise the supply of affordable, clean and sustainable energy.鈥�

Christine Boyle, CEO, Ltd. adds:

鈥淪witching to advanced polymer materials meant a more efficient manufacturing process and more flexible product design. This resulted in the breakthrough of the low cost, low carbon, lightweight smart Senergy panels. Our job now is to ensure that Senergy solar panels become a key part of the smarter built environment and make renewable heating and cooling systems affordable and accessible for everyone.鈥�

ENDS

15 OCTOBER 2020

NOTES TO EDITORS

High-res images available at:

/services/communications/medialibrary/images/october_2020/tony_m_solar_cell_testing.jpg
Caption: The solar cell as it went in for testing
Credit: WMG, 果冻传媒

/services/communications/medialibrary/images/october_2020/christine_boyle.jpg
Caption: Christine Boyle, CEO of Senergy Ltd with the Solar Panel
Credit: WMG, 果冻传媒

For further information please contact:
Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
果冻传媒
Tel: +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

路 The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged all facets of human endeavours, and seven months later the economic effects are particularly being felt

路 How the world can leverage the positive and negative effects of COVID-19 to build a new, more resilient and low-carbon economy has been analysed by a group of academics led by WMG, 果冻传媒

路 A more sustainable model based on circular economy framework could help the world recover financially from COVID-19, whilst facilitating the attainment of net zero carbon goals

The World鈥檚 economy is feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with many industries under threat. A group of researchers from the UK, Malaysia, Nigeria, UAE and Japan, led by WMG, 果冻传媒 have concluded that adopting circular economy strategies would be the best way for the world鈥檚 economy to recover, whilst enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The declared the COVID-19 pandemic on the 11th March 2020, which saw global supply chains severely disrupted and strained, and the financial market unsettled, resulting in a cross-border economic disaster. Lockdowns and border closures shattered the core sustaining pillars of modern world economies, with the economic shock due to these measures still being weighed across the globe.

In the paper, 鈥樷��, published in the journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling sees a group of researchers led by WMG, at the 果冻传媒, critically analysed the negative and positive impacts of the pandemic. To make the world resilient post-COVID-19, the adoption of circular economy framework is recommended for all sectors.

The pandemic had many effects on everyone鈥檚 lives, from not leaving the house, being infected and possibly hospitalised, and even losing a loved one. It has had a strain on those who were furloughed or even lost their jobs, and the mental health of the populace. Economically, the effects can be felt everywhere due to the colossal financial loss across both the macro and micro levels of the economy, including the global supply chains and international trade, tourism and aviation and many other sectors, hampering the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, the pandemic has provoked some natural changes in behaviour and attitudes with positive influences on human health and the planet including:

路 Improvements of air quality, in fact in the UK it鈥檚 thought more lives have been saved by the reduced air pollutants compared to the number of people who died with COVID-19 in China, for example.

路 Reduction in environmental noise and traffic congestions has led to an increase in the number of people exercising outside to enjoy the atmosphere.

路 Less tourism induced by the pandemic, resulting in less exploitation of the beaches, leading to increased cleanliness.

路 Decline in global primary energy use. For instance coal use was down 8%, 60% less oil, and electricity plummeted by 20% compared to the first quarter of 2019, leading to record low global CO2 emissions.

路 Triggering the need for diversification and circularity of supply chains, and evinced the power of public policy for tackling urgent socio-economic crises.

The researchers have examined the impacts of the pandemic and its interplay with circular economy, to evaluate how it could be embraced to rebuild the world鈥檚 economy.

Dr Taofeeq Ibn-Mohammed, from WMG, 果冻传媒 comments:

鈥淭he pandemic has highlighted the environmental folly of 鈥榚xtract, produce, use and dump鈥� economic model of material and energy flows, however the short term resolutions to cope with pandemic will not be sustainable in the long-run, as they do not reflect improvements in economic structures of the global economy.

鈥淲e therefore propose circular economy adoptions for all industries, with different strategies for each one. For example, embracing the transformative capabilities of digital technologies for supply chain resilience by leveraging: big data analytics for streamlining supplier selection processes; cloud computing to facilitate and manage supplier relationships; and Internet of Things for enhancing logistics and shipping processes.

鈥淭he post-COVID-19 investments needed to accelerate towards more resilient, low carbon and circular economies should also be integrated into the stimulus packages for economic recovery being promised by governments, since the shortcomings in the dominant linear economic model are now recognised and the gaps to be closed are known.鈥�

WMG is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor David Greenwood, as the new CEO of the

Professor Greenwood will replace Archie MacPherson, who has successfully led the WMG Catapult team since 2016.

WMG Executive Chair, Margot James, said: 鈥淲e thank Archie for all that he has achieved in this period and wish him all the very best as he returns to a role in industry.鈥�

The CEO role is part of Professor Greenwood鈥檚 remit as Director for Industrial Engagement at WMG.

He currently leads WMG鈥檚 Energy Research, and also holds advisory and board positions for the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Innovate UK (Faraday Challenge and IDP and the Faraday Institution, and is Head of the Advanced Propulsion Centre's Electrical Energy Storage Spoke. Professor Greenwood also provides academic leadership for the development of R&D activities within the National Automotive Innovation Centre at the 果冻传媒.

Margot added: 鈥淒ave鈥檚 passion and unrivalled experience make him the ideal candidate to lead the HVM Catapult drive to de-risk innovation in UK manufacturing, enabling its productivity, growth and sustainability.鈥�

Professor Greenwood added : 鈥淭he focus of my career has been around bringing science and technology into industry, and I am delighted that these new roles will bring together the academic strengths of WMG with the transformative capability of the to benefit Industry and the UK. I look forward to strengthening our existing partnerships and welcoming new ones.鈥�

Professor Greenwood will officially start as CEO from 26^th October 2020.

WMG an academic department at the 果冻传媒 was on this day, the 1st of October, 1980 started by the late Professor Lord Bhattacharyya.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya sadly passed away on the 1st March 2019. His long and highly accomplished career in engineering and manufacturing began with his studies in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur, before he moved to the UK to further his studies. After working at the University of Birmingham he was persuaded by the then Vice Chancellor at 果冻传媒, Lord Butterworth, to move to the 果冻传媒 where he started WMG.

Over the years he went on to become a Government adviser to Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat Industry Ministers and Prime Ministers.

Vice Chancellor of the 果冻传媒, Professor Stuart Croft comments:

鈥淚鈥檓 sure I speak for the whole 果冻传媒 community when I say how fantastic it is to see how Professor Lord Bhattacharyya鈥檚 vision for WMG has flourished to become not only an exceptional part of our University but also our whole region, by connecting engineering and manufacturing industries with academia. I look forward to seeing what is in store for WMG in the years ahead, as it continues to go from strength to strength.鈥�

The new Executive Chair for WMG is Margot James, who was appointed in April 2020, comments on the achievements so far and plans for the future of WMG.

鈥淲e operate on a huge scale today but our mission and vision is the same it was on that first autumn morning. The challenges we are addressing now are different to those of 40 years ago; the need for a zero carbon industry is at the forefront of so much of our work. Our experience and expertise have never been more relevant and vital.

鈥淲hether educating the next generation of engineers or developing the technologies that will change our world, the challenges we embrace today will shape the next chapter of the WMG story. We have the creativity, the insight, and most of all, the people to make the next 40 years of WMG even more exciting and impactful as we build a smarter, greener, cleaner and healthier world.鈥�

Hot on the heels of being shortlisted for the West Midlands regional awards, the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya building, home of the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC), has now been shortlisted for a further three prestigious design awards.

The new shortlisted awards are , a, and an .

Based at the 果冻传媒, NAIC was officially open in February 2020 by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Centre is a partnership between WMG, 果冻传媒, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors, and is the largest of its kind in Europe and is well timed, arriving when a global mobility revolution is underway, with a new age for transport mobility.

A beacon for automotive research it brings together the brightest minds from industry and academia, to develop future vehicles and mobility solutions. It is home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.

Designed by the brief for the Centre was for simplicity and strength of purpose, turning a complex assembly of spaces into an immediately legible building.

Professor Paul Jennings will be joining the line up at The Future of Logistics, free webinar, this Friday (25^th September).

The Future of Logistics, produced by Barclays Manufacturing Logistics and Transport team, will feature presentations by three experts on the logistics industry from the Road Haulage Association (RHA), Unipart Logistics and WMG. Professor Jennings will be sharing his expertise on connected and autonomous vehicles.

Legislation on vehicle emissions, Brexit, Covid-19, an aging workforce, vehicle autonomy and smart highways, the surge in e-commerce, and vehicle electrification are some of the biggest influencers shaping the future of logistics that will be debated.

Professor Paul Jennings, a physicist and expert in connected transport systems, will present on autonomous vehicles and also on a range of other research into transportation that can help keep goods flowing; GPS, traffic management, smart roads and cities and driver behaviour. Professor Jennings led the development of WMG鈥檚 3xD Simulator for Intelligent Vehicles and is the current lead on , the 拢31 million public CAV (connected and autonomous vehicle) test environment.

Richard Burnett, CEO of the RHA will discuss diesel legislation, Brexit, labour and the trend of 鈥渟tranded assets鈥�, where trucks purchased by logistics firms are inoperable within a short period due to changing local regulations on vehicle emissions. Technology sector director at Unipart Logistics, Nicola Rouse, will discuss how technology is changing Unipart鈥檚 business and the new opportunities more data brings, plus the importance of sustainability and resilience in business.

Barclays鈥� Head of Manufacturing, Transport and Logistics, Lee Collinson, and logistics business specialist Ian Cranidge, will give an overview of their customers鈥� experiences of the logistics industry and where they expect improvement from operators, the government and in technology, at this challenging time.

鈥淲ith the rapid rise in e-commerce before and through lockdown, plus environmental pressure on hauliers and new technology improving the intelligence of delivering goods, the logistics business is changing fast,鈥� says Lee Collinson. 鈥淢ore home deliveries, Brexit, more electric vehicles and even the expected reshoring of manufacturing from Asia will put pressure on logistics operators but offer new business models too. We urge you join this free-to-attend webinar to find out more.鈥�

A Q&A session follows the presentations where participants can put questions to the panel.

The webinar is free to attend on registration, once approved by Barclays. The event takes place at 10am on Friday 25^th September.

You must register before the event, and places are first-come first-served.

Register for the event .

ENDS

• Lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LIBs) are the electrochemical energy storage systems of choice for a wide variety of applications, however other types of emerging battery technologies are currently on the path to share their dominant position.
• Among them Sodium (Na)-ion batteries (NIBs) have great potential to represent the next generation low cost and environmentally friendly energy storage solution. The diverse key performance indicators required by different applications and the market diversification is the driving force pushing the Na-ion technology closer to the market.
• A team of scientists including WMG at the 果冻传媒 combined their knowledge and expertise to assess the current status of the Na-ion technology from materials to cell development, offering a realistic comparison of the key performance indicators for NBs and LIBs.

LIBs play a primary role in the transition to a low carbon economy. However, as the market rapidly expands, the environmental and social challenges associated with the mass production of LIBs is triggering large attention toward the search for alternative energy storage solutions based on materials that can be sourced in a sustainable and responsible way. In this scenario, NIBs represent an alternative low cost, sustainable and more environmentally friendly energy storage technology.

In the paper 鈥�,' published on the 18^th of September 2020 in the Journal of Power Sources, a large team of Na-ion technology expert scientists, led by WMG, at the 果冻传媒 (UK) analyse the prospect of NIBs taking a spot in the energy storage market. The paper also includes researchers from: Helmholtz Institute Ulm (Germany), College de France (France), Humboldt University Berlin (Germany), Institute for Energy technology (Norway), Universit茅 de Picardie Jules Verne (France), University of Bordeaux (France) and CIC energiGUNE (Spain).

Na- based batteries offer a combination of attractive properties. They are low cost, use sustainable precursors and have secure raw material supplies. In addition, they are considered as a drop-in technology which could benefit from the already existing Li-ion batteries manufacturing facilities.

As Li-based systems, Na-based batteries come in different forms, such as Na-ion, Na-all-solid-state-batteries, NaO₂ and Na/S. While the last ones are seen as disruptive future technologies, the Na-ion technology represent an attractive technology almost ready to challenge the Li-ion batteries in specific applications.

Performance metrics are of utmost importance for the SIB technology to ensure a competitive cost per Wh and find a place in the market. In this work, the most promising electrode materials and electrolyte systems have been reviewed and performance metrics from the academic literature have been used to extrapolate full sodium ion cells performance indicators.

Authors indicate that with the ongoing development, the present best materials available for Na-ion cells should allow approaching the energy density of the present generation of Li-ion commercial cells. One of the most important application field for the developed sodium-ion battery prototypes is certainly stationary energy storage systems, where cost and cycle life represent two fundamental parameters. 鈥淚n this field sodium-ion batteries have the potential to dominate the future market representing the most promising system to fill the gap between energy production and utilization by securing energy supply. However high-power applications in the electrified automotive field are a potential niche field application for NIBs鈥� says Dr Ivana Hasa, Assistant Professor at WMG.

Further technological improvements are needed to increase the performance especially in terms of energy density. Extremely encouraging results have been achieved for the Na-ion technology in a very short time when compared to the Li-ion technology. Technological improvement will be achieved by cell component fabrication/assembly optimization, as occurred in the last thirty years for the LIB technology.

Dr Ivana Hasa, from WMG, 果冻传媒 comments:

鈥淔rom an applied research point of view, the future research efforts should be devoted on fundamental research, materials discovery and understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic processes governing the chemistry of these systems. In addition, the investigation of upscaled Na-ion batteries is of primary importance to obtain realistic data to benchmark the progress of the technology as well as the adoption of a common reporting methodology in the scientific community enabling a fair comparison among performance results.鈥�

The UK is at significant risk of falling behind in the electric revolution and losing out to the rest of Europe on a crucial automotive lithium ion battery recycling market according to a new research report published this week by WMG at the 果冻传媒 and backed by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and Faraday Battery Challenge at Innovate UK.

The new report entitled Automotive Lithium ion Battery Recycling in the UK by Anwar Sattar, David Greenwood, Martin Dowson and Puja Unadkat in WMG, at the 果冻传媒 calls for the UK to move quickly to establish commercial scale recycling for automotive lithium ion batteries

The WMG report notes that there are currently over a dozen such large scale lithium ion recycling facilities in the rest of Europe but none in the UK despite the fact that the UK is the second largest vehicle market in Europe with annual sales exceeding 2.3 million units in 2019, and is also amongst the top electric vehicle markets in Europe, with a 6% market penetration in the first quarter of 2020.

Jacqui Murray Deputy Challenge Director of the Faraday Battery Challenge at Innovate UK said:

鈥淭his new WMG report is a timely call for action. To achieve net zero carbon emissions, we need to be thinking about the whole system. Recycling of batteries is a challenge we see in the making, yet I am confident we can develop into a successful circular economy in the UK. Understanding, sharing and collaborating will accelerate the efforts needed to advance the right technologies and infrastructure to meet the future UK Automotive market.鈥�

The report points out that the current costs of this recycling black hole are already enormous. As the UK lacks significant industrial capacity for lithium ion battery recycling, batteries are shipped to mainland Europe for material recovery. This can be a very expensive process, dependent on state of health of the pack, chemistry of the pack and size of the pack. This can mean that up to 75% of the total cost of recycling which can range from 拢3/kg to >拢8/kg may be attributed to transportation costs and other factors such as the state of health and chemistry of the cells.

Even more concerning are the report鈥檚 comments that without its own significant recycling facilities, the UK could also be losing out on a major source of expensive and difficult to source materials to help manufacture new batteries.

By 2040, 339,000 tonnes of EV batteries are expected to reach their end of their life annually. The average value in end of life automotive packs is 拢3.3/kg for Battery Electric Vehicles and 拢2.2/kg for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles.

By 2040, the UK will also require 140GWh worth of cell production capability, representing 567,000 tonnes of cell production per year. Recycling can supply 22% of this demand (assuming a 60% recycling rate and 40% reuse or remanufacture). The break-even point for an automotive lithium ion battery recycling plant is just 2,500 – 3,000 tonnes per year if the chemistry contains nickel and cobalt.

To satisfy 2040 demand, the UK will need 133,000 tonnes of cathode metals per year. Much of this material can be supplied by recycling end of life batteries as the report shows in the following table:

Based on 8:1:1 chemistry assuming 60% of end of life batteries are recycled in 2040.

Dick Elsy CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult says in the report

鈥淲MG has been at the forefront of the development of battery technology for the future of electric mobility in the UK. Internal combustion engines and systems will be replaced by electric motors, power electronics and battery packs. A key part of that future is how we responsibly recycle the materials contained in the batteries and thus create a commercially valuable circular economy. This report is one of the best that I鈥檝e seen to present the challenges and the opportunities in such a clear way.鈥�

One of the report's authors, Professor David Greenwood Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems, in WMG at the 果冻传媒, concludes:

鈥淓lectric vehicles offer huge potential for decarbonising transport and improving air quality, but as we accelerate their early market we must equally be thinking about what happens at the end of their useful life. Batteries in particular contain significant quantities of materials which are costly to extract and refine and which could be hazardous to the environment if improperly disposed of. Investment is needed to create suitable recycling facilities in the UK within the next few years, and beyond that, research is needed to allow economic recovery of much greater proportions of the battery material. In doing so we will protect the environment, secure valuable raw materials, and reduce the cost of transport.鈥�

Congratulations to Joseph Benjamin and Tom Moore who have both completed a four year Engineering Technician Apprenticeship at WMG.

The pair started their apprenticeship journey after completing their studies at the in Coventry.

They initially completed a Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeship, before going on to a Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Manufacturing Engineering, and have been dividing their time between working at WMG and studying at 果冻传媒shire College.

Joseph explained: 鈥淲hat makes WMG a great place to work and learn is all the amazing staff, students and visitors I have had the pleasure of working with over the last four years. The support and detail of training I have received on equipment and systems is second to none. Therefore, I would like to say thank you and give a special shout out to anyone who has supported me along the way. You know who you are!

鈥淭he advice I would give to others considering an apprenticeship, is to look at what the programme can offer you. Especially in terms of development and opportunities such as qualifications and real-life experience in fields that interest you.鈥�

Tom added: 鈥淢y apprenticeship at WMG has been a fantastic opportunity, allowing me to explore a whole range of engineering disciplines, gain qualifications and ultimately find a keen interest in materials science, characterisation and microstructural analysis. Thank you to all the staff, students and external customers who have been a part of my journey. I look forward to continuing my career with you all.鈥�

Next steps

Joseph and Tom have both now secured permanent positions as Mechanical Technicians within WMG鈥檚 Technical Services Team. Joseph is based within the Metrology research team whilst Tom is specialising in Electron Microscopy.

Zac Parkinson, WMG Workshop Manager who also line managed the apprentices, said: 鈥� We are extremely pleased to announce that Thomas Moore and Joseph Benjamin will be joining our Technical Services team as Mechanical Technicians. Both of these young men have worked extremely hard during their apprenticeships, this is evident from their academic grades and ever-advancing skill set.

鈥淲e are grateful for their dedication to the group during their apprenticeships, achieving impressive grades and continuing to grow a network of stakeholders across WMG.

鈥淲e are also really appreciative of the role models that they have become to other younger members of our technical team.

鈥淲e are looking forward to working with them in their new roles, and watching them grow in the future.

鈥淲ell done chaps!鈥�

, a specialist residential school in Berkshire and training and development centre for young people aged between 5-25 who are severely affected by autism, is working with WMG at the 果冻传媒 to help recruit two specialist Digital Healthcare apprentice staff.

The new Digital Healthcare Apprentices will investigate and evaluate data collected on Prior鈥檚 Court pupils to support improvements in the wellbeing and experiences of young people with autism at Prior's Court –and will be part of the first wave of a new, innovative national digital healthcare science workforce, working in health and social care to improve people鈥檚 health and wellbeing.

Using 鈥楤ig Data鈥� mining techniques the apprentices, working under joint supervision by academics and specialist autism practitioners, will be able to sift more than a million data points to identify circumstances which predict particular behaviour patterns. This will in turn enable earlier intervention steps to be taken.

This could make a major difference to their quality of life, minimising incidents and perhaps even enabling a young person at the school to later enter employment where this was may have not been previously possible.

The two new Digital Healthcare Apprentices will provide specialist support to the Foundation and its young people, while also studying towards a Bachelor of Science Undergraduate degree in Digital Healthcare Science with the 果冻传媒 drawing on the expertise of two departments – WMG and 果冻传媒 Medical School.

Prior鈥檚 Court Chief Executive Mike Robinson said: 鈥淎utism is a complex condition. The fundamental question 鈥榃hy does someone with autism have a good day or a bad day?鈥� is a difficult one to answer. For the young people at Prior鈥檚 Court who are severely affected by autism, often with other complex coexisting conditions, it is almost impossible to answer. We believe that by applying the power of being able to collect and analyse large quantities of data to this problem, we will be able to start to answer the question.

鈥淥ur digital platform Prior Insight is capturing thousands of pieces of data on our young people every day but it is the practical application which is key. By working with the 果冻传媒 and recruiting Digital Healthcare Apprentices we can ensure that data is comprehensively analysed and applied to positively impact the lives of many more people with autism – both at Prior鈥檚 Court and in the wider world of autism.鈥�

Professor Ed Peile, of 果冻传媒 Medical School, comments:

鈥淥n my first visit to Prior鈥檚 Court I was inspired by how the team there are constantly striving to help young people with severe autism lead happy and fulfilling lives. I was keen to see their cutting edge project using the digital platform 鈥楶rior Insight鈥� and to understand what role future members of the new specialism Digital Healthcare Science could play.

鈥淚t was immediately apparent to me that, both in their apprenticeship training and when they graduate, Digital Healthcare Scientists have so much to offer at Prior鈥檚 Court, and so much to gain there. Thanks to the investment in data collection at Prior鈥檚 Court, there is a huge amount of information about how each young person functions.

鈥淣ot only that, but working with other technologies including 鈥榳earable digital technology鈥� and using the skills of behavioural science and shared decision-making taught on our innovative 鈥榝usion science course鈥� will enable the apprentices to contribute as they learn in the workplace.鈥�

How to apply

Applications for the two new roles close in just two weeks on 30th September 2020. Details on how to apply can be found