SUPERGEN - The Energy Storage Consortium

CO2 emission leading to global warming is one of the most important challenges facing humankind in the 21st century. The UK Government has signed the Kyoto accord requiring us to reduce CO2 emissions, and has set a target of around 20% electricity generation by renewables by 2020. Recent power outages (e.g. London, New York) have illustrated problems with network stability. What is necessary for power production are safe and reliable energy storage systems. It is also known that 30% of CO2 emissions comes from transport. As a result, a key method of transportation over the next 20-30 years will be the hybrid electric vehicle incorporating energy storage by batteries and supercapacitors.The proposed programme is centred around developing new materials to advance rechargeable lithium ion battery and supercapacitor technologies. This project is a key component of the overall Supergen programme, and offers a unique opportunity in energy storage research with its interdisciplinary nature that includes experts in materials chemistry, chemical engineering, and electronic and electrical engineering.