UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 28 NOVEMBER 2011
With George Osborne set to make his Autumn Statement (Tuesday 29 November) in the face of challenging economic conditions an expert at Birmingham City University urges the Chancellor to recognise that “the green roots of recovery will be driven by the green economy.”
Birmingham City University is a pioneer in green technology – such as sustainable fuel – and this work is attracting backing from national and regional partners to help support a green economy with the potential to create 55,000 jobs in Birmingham.
“Birmingham City University has already showcased its ground-breaking work to both partners in the Coalition Government. Therefore, in the run-up to the Autumn Statement I would remind the Chancellor George Osborne that the best chance of encouraging the green shoots of recovery is by investing in the green economy,” said Dr Peter Rayson, Associate Dean at the University’s Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment (TEE).
“Birmingham City University is a pioneer in developing technologies to support sustainability. This work has both impressed the Prime Minister, on a fact-finding tour of the city, as well as policy-makers attending the annual Liberal Democrat conference hosted in the Birmingham this autumn.”
“Both our economy and the environment are currently facing big challenges – but by finding solutions to safeguard our environment we are, at the same time, creating new types of businesses and potentially thousands of new jobs. That is a win-win situation, which I believe the Chancellor would recognise and welcome.”
As a result of promoting its leading work, the University has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with energy giants E.ON who are committed to reducing carbon emissions. E.ON is set to host an event next week (Wednesday 30 November) in Birmingham which will look at how partnerships with universities such as Birmingham City University is creating the right skills and technology to drive forward the green economy.
One project that has excited external partners such as E.ON is the pioneering work being conducted by the University’s Centre for Low Carbon Research. This team has been awarded a national science grant to investigate the use of algae as an alternative fuel.
Based in the state-of-the-art EnviroLab at the University’s Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment (TEE) academics have access to engine test-cells, used for automotive powertrain and biofuel research. For example, the team has supported sports car-maker Morgan Motor Company with its advanced LIFECar powertrain development and a dual-fuel project for heavyweight diesel engines running on biogas.
Environmental champion Dr Lynsey Melville, who leads this research team, is also personally helping to shape the national green agenda and is involved with the All-Parties Renewable Transport Fuels Group at the House of Commons.
This group provides members the chance to meet MPs and discuss opportunities and challenges for future renewable fuels. With experience of embedding new knowledge into real world applications, Dr Melville’s team has linked up with Birmingham-based East End Foods Ltd on an urban farm project based at the former HP sauce factory building – a job-creating scheme that has already impressed Prime Minister David Cameron on a fact-finding tour.
The University’s work in supporting the green economy was also successfully showcased during the recent political conference season, including a fringe event looking at ways to grow the ‘green economy’ at the Liberal Democrat conference in Birmingham.
This event coincided with a public commitment made by the biggest local authority in Europe, Birmingham City Council, to invest £760million in a green energy initiative to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 60 per cent by 2026 – and also help kick-start the regional economy by developing ‘green manufacturing’ in the West Midlands.
If successful it is estimated that 55,000 jobs could be directly generated by the initiative, from installation engineers, to manufacturers and designers. Birmingham City University is already on board with its support.
- As part of the Birmingham Energy Savers event of programmes E.On will hosting a presentation on Wednesday 30 November looking at job creation within the energy sector and how the university sector can create the skilled graduates to fill these posts