Exceptional World Class Research Facilities and Energy Programmes

Culham Science Centre is home to the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE), the UK’s national research laboratory for fusion energy. Its key capabilities and competencies include plasma physics research; computer modeling of plasma behaviour, materials research for nuclear use; robotics and remote-handling technology; engineering of fusion reactor technology, especially mechanical and electrical engineering; cryogenic systems; power plant design and power supplies; neutral beam and microwave heating systems; and diagnostic systems development.

Two of CCFE’s principal research programmes are the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) experiment and the Joint European Torus (JET).  Experiments on MAST are important because they help determine the long-term potential of the spherical tokamak fusion concept, which may eventually be suitable as the basis for a power station. CCFE is taking spherical tokamaks to the next level by implementing a major £30 million two-stage upgrade, to be completed by 2015, which will offer possibilities for scientific collaborations from the UK and overseas and once online it will operate as a user facility to allow scientists from other fusion laboratories and universities to exploit its capabilities.

JET is the world’s largest magnetic fusion experiment; the largest and most powerful ever built, and is the focal point of the European fusion research programme.  Designed to study fusion in conditions approaching those needed for a power plant, it is the only device currently operating that can use the deuterium-tritium fuel mix that will be used for commercial fusion power plants. JET acts as a test-bed for ITER technologies.

The ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source at RAL Space, located in Harwell, Oxford is a world-leading research centre in the physical and life sciences. The neutron and muon beams are used in research areas ranging from clean energy and the environment to pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology and information technology.

Environmental Technologies

Oxfordshire is home to an impressive range of environmental technology expertise, with a niche cluster around Wallingford, Oxfordshire.  These businesses include world leading research in areas such as environmental hydraulics, management of the maritime environment, agricultural development and research in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

Centres of excellence in the environmental field include:

• University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School, Biodiversity Institute
• University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School, Oxford Geoengineering Programme
• University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School, Oxford Martin Programme on Resource Stewardship
• University of Oxford, Oxford Martin School, Programme on Modelling and Predicting Climate
• University of Oxford, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
• Environmental Information Exchange (EiE), School of Life Sciences, at Oxford Brookes University.

The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is a public-sector research centre - part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) - which delivers independent research, survey, training and knowledge transfer in the environmental sciences to advance knowledge of planet Earth as a complex, interacting system Centre for Hydrology and Ecology. It is based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.

HR Wallingford's Fast Flow Facility, called F³ , will be one of the world’s largest maritime test facilities. The new facility, due for completion in October 2014, will be housed at Howbery Business Park, Wallingford which is the UK’s first solar-powered business park.   The facility will hold up to 1,000,000 litres of water, equivalent to filling 12,500 average sized baths spanning the length of 4.5 tennis courts.  It will have the capacity to generate waves up to a metre high and currents in excess of 1m/s.  The purpose built building will also become home to HR Wallingford’s world class Ship Simulation Centre with four real-time, 360 degree field view simulators and two tug bridge simulators.

Companies

Oxfordshire has a number of companies who are leading the development of alternative power sources and energy storage.  These include Sharp Laboratories of Europe who are researching new technology platforms and energy storage and systems. PV Crystalox manufactures Multicrystaline silicon ingots and wafers which are the key component in solar power systems.

Also in Oxfordshire are Oxis Energy who developed and prototyped the first Lithium-Ion batteries. Ceramic Fuel Cells are a world leader in commercialising Solid Oxide Fuel Cell  technology to generate efficient, low-emission electricity from widely available natural gas and renewable fuels, and, Reaction Engines are a world authority on heat exchanger technology for the engines of advanced reusable space launchers.

Environmental technology companies include Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd who are a spin-out from the University of Oxford, and, HR Wallingford the leading hydraulic research agency. Others include The Centre for Hydrology and Ecology, CABI, Environment Agency, Johnson Matthey, and Seazone.  Innovations in sustainable infrastructure see Innovyze as a global leader in smart wet infrastructure modelling and management tools.

Sustainable Construction

The UK’s first eco town at North West Bicester is the most advanced eco development of its size in the country. The first phase, ‘Exemplar’, began construction in autumn 2013 and will consist of 393 highly efficient eco homes, with a total of 5000 eco homes to be built including a school, community centre, eco pub and a business centre for SMEs with a focus on eco construction and environmental goods and services.  The site will be 40% green space.

It will also encompass the UK’s largest residential solar array to generate electricity and benefit from a highly efficient district heating system.

There will be opportunities for cutting edge eco businesses to be present in Bicester and be part of a UK eco-hub.

A promotional video about the first Exemplar phase is available at http://bit.ly/1cUoHrF

Download and share a two-page overview of the Energy and Environmental sector in Oxfordshire from the following link:

Energy and Environmental Technologies (pdf, 391 Kb)