UK companies across multiple sectors to enjoy a £28.5m investment into cutting-edge equipment to help them power up the electric supply chain to achieve the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.

Investment from Driving the Electric Revolution at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is providing a critical financial boost to nine facilities located across the UK. The £28.5m investment in new equipment will help develop existing centres and fill gaps in the UK’s current capability. The investment will enable a competitive electrification supply chain to be built across sectors, including industrial, transport and energy.

The South West and Wales Industrialisation Centre has been awarded £1.6m by UKRI for a prototype facility for ceramic and copper elements and sub-assemblies for integrated modules.

Led by Newcastle University, this investment will play a vital role in bringing together a UK-wide network of over 30 academic, research and technology organisations. The network gives businesses the opportunity to develop manufacturing process technologies and industrialise the processes needed for Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD) scale up, whilst reducing risk by sharing expertise, technical advice and facilities.

Four regional Centres in Scotland, the South West & Wales, the North East, and the Midlands will coordinate and build on the UK’s national capability to deliver long term sustainable growth on the road to net zero. Together they will help businesses scale up the use of electric-powered vehicles and machines across a range of industries and transport systems to grow the UK supply chain.

Amar Abid-Ali, Chief Commercial Officer at CSA Catapult said:

“This funding is crucial in the development of the South West and Wales Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centre capability and in contributing to developing a solid end-to-end PEMD supply chain for multiple sectors including automotive, aerospace, renewable energy, marine, off-highway and industrial.  Progressing towards the UK government’s 2050 Net Zero targets is one of the key focus areas for the Catapult and our strong capability puts us at the centre of achieving this.”

Professor Will Drury, Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge Director said:

“This investment represents a vital step forward in making the UK a world leader in PEMD. With access to the Centres and network open to all, we aim to give all UK businesses and researchers the ability to develop and scale new PEMD technologies and manufacturing processes. Only by investing now in developing PEMD will the UK achieve its net zero ambitions.”

Any business or researcher interested in using a Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centre should visit www.der-ic.org.uk.