Monday, 10 March 2025
Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham, Newcastle and Bristol are set to receive a £7 million grant from a funding council to develop sustainable technologies to reduce energy wastage.
The UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has awarded the funding to a team, led by Dr Liliana de Lillo, a Royal Academy of Engineering Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham. The multidisciplinary team including co-leads Dr Xu Deng and Dr Nick Simpson from Newcastle and Bristol universities, brings together world-leading experts in power electronics, electric propulsion, thermal management, machine design, materials and manufacturing.
Sustainable electrification is set to become increasingly important. The next two decades will see a massive change in the utilisation of renewable energy sources, driven by the Government’s target to deploy low-carbon resources for 95% of energy generation by 2030. This will lead to greater use of electric generators and at the same time, almost all propulsion, heating and cooling, and industrial processes will require an electric motor.
There is a major risk of a dramatic increase in energy loss, CO2 emissions and precious raw material usage in both the manufacture and usage of generators and electric motors, as a result of these changes.
Currently, 50% of the world’s electrical energy is used to power rotating motors, however, the systems they drive are typically very inefficient and contribute to a large amount of wasted energy.
50% of the world’s electrical energy is used to power rotating machines, integrated motor drives can reduce energy consumption by 55%
By adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, this program will focus on removing technological barriers to enable true integration of power converters with electrical motors and generators to become the answer to the problem of achieving more sustainable electrification. This will also allow for more efficient and lower weight industrial and transport applications and dramatically reduce CO2 emissions from manufacturing.
From Quantum sensors and cryogenic cooling to rare earth free motors and integrated power electronic solutions, researchers from the Universities of Nottingham, Newcastle and Bristol will investigate and deliver solutions that reduce energy wastage and minimise life cycle impacts. These innovations will result in an increase in energy efficiency and reductions in environmental impact– accelerating the route to Net Zero and long-term sustainability.
We are living through a new industrial revolution and this is a crucial time in the quest to find sustainable solutions to electrification across all industrial sectors. Through this research programme, we want to change the way we use energy. Renewable energy sources and electrification are key enablers of the aim to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions.
She continued: “We can achieve that aim through the integration of power electronics and electric motors, using common structures and systems to greatly reduce material usage and energy consumption.
“The ambition is to investigate and deliver innovative solutions that reduce energy wastage and minimise life cycle impacts and the quantity of precious materials used.”
Dr Kedar Pandya, EPSRC Executive Director for Strategy said: “Sustainable electrification is an important part of the work EPSRC is supporting to help secure a low-carbon future and meet UK net zero targets.
“This research highlights how innovative new technologies and approaches will play a key role in reducing energy waste across industrial sectors and cutting carbon emissions so that we can build a greener future for us all.”
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Liliana de Lillo on Liliana.De_lillo@nottingham.ac.uk or Faith Pring, Media Relations Manager, on faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
Faith Pring - Media Relations Manager
Email: faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: 0115 748 4411
Location: University of Nottingham, University Park
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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