A new centre has opened in the UK for developing new and innovative technologies to advance the energy industry.
The University of Chester facility was opened by Conservative MP Jake Berry at Thornton Science Park, part of the Cheshire Science Corridor.
The New Energy Centre has been set up to cultivate the development of technologies and as a creative space for academia and industry.
Built within an Enterprise Zone site, the centre will aim to develop new types of photovoltaic solar cells alongside smart electrical energy storage solutions.
Studies will also focus on non-electrical energy systems such as thermal storage and heat systems.
Companies can use the centre to test at scale power saving distribution technologies.
The University of Chester’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tim Wheeler, gave the minister a tour of the facility – which was created following the repurposing of an existing building on the former Shell Technology Centre site.
Professor Wheeler said: “The University is extremely proud of The Energy Centre. This is a flagship innovation project for the Cheshire Science Corridor, of which our Thornton Science Park is a designated site.
“The state-of-the-art building is offering companies unrivalled possibilities to allow ‘lightbulb’ moments to happen, as researchers ‘plug and play’ with a number of facilities, across all aspects of energy systems (conventional and unconventional) and smart grids.”
