The West Midlands Combined Universities group is made up of Birmingham City University, Coventry University and Wolverhampton University.
The group’s representatives have been a strong collaborator in the Energy Capital Partnership – providing invaluable perspectives on a range of energy and fuel technologies and some of the challenges that the region is facing.
Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University (BCU) creates a diverse place to study and research. Our focus on practicebased learning and applied research includes energy and net zero related activities such as:
- Bioresource and Bioeconomy
- Transforming the Building Life Cycle
- Using Data Analytics and AI to develop smarter retrofit tools and modelling energy data
- Embedding sustainability in architecture and design
Feature: Birmingham Biomethane Cluster
The Birmingham Biomethane Cluster was launched by the Institute for Design, Economic Acceleration and Sustainability (IDEAS) based at Birmingham City University in 2020. It includes a wide range of organisations involved in biomethane production, distribution and deployment across the UK and internationally, such as Severn Trent Water, Cadent Gas, Tyseley Energy Park, and many more.
Over 140 million tons of these wastes are left undigested in the UK every year – pumping methane into the atmosphere. By bringing together major companies alongside academics and the public sector, the cluster has supported the development of action to tackle the huge challenge of undigested waste – helping to develop new transport systems and divert waste from landfill.
Coventry University
As a forward-looking, modern university and provider of high quality education and applied research, students at Coventry University benefit from stateof-the-art equipment and facilities in all academic disciplines including health, design and engineering laboratories, and computing centres.
The University’s links to leading-edge businesses and other organisations enable students to access project and placement opportunities – particularly in the neighbouring automotive industry.
Feature: Centre for e-Mobility and Clean Growth (CEMR)
The CEMR is aligned to the global challenges to decarbonise transport and energy sectors. Our research is based around lithium batteries, power electronics and electric drives, supercapacitors and fuel cells with core applications in transport.
Key facilities include the Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS) – a partnership between the University and FEV UK and the University’s Centre of Excellence in Cell Prototyping. Research focuses on a range of areas including – electronics, motors, hydrogen, systems and energy storage.
University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in health, education, business, arts, social sciences, science and engineering. Developing lasting relationships with businesses of all kinds and helping to play a vital role in enabling them to grow and prosper.
Our Energy & Green Technology Research Group focusses on thematic areas that encompass energy, food and ecosystem health, aiming to develop clean technologies for a carbon-neutral future, while the National Brownfield Institute provides cutting-edge research on land remediation technologies and modern methods of construction to support the sector’s transition to net zero.
Feature: EnTRESS (Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service)
EnTRESS, based in the University’s School of Architecture and the Built Environment, helps SMEs on the development and adoption of environmental technologies and resource efficient processes.
This support enables SMEs to understand their carbon footprint and how to meet nation net zero ambitions:
- Energy audits, renewable energy feasibility studies, and on-site energy management.
- Adoption of circular economy and life cycle assessment principles.
- Identification of new and innovative markets for growing businesses, and bespoke R&D work for technical product assessment.
With access to leading built environment, engineering and science academics, EnTRESS facilitates collaborative research to drive innovation within the energy sector.
"West Midlands Combined Universities has been a long standing partner and supporter of Energy Capital. Our involvement has enabled us to help shape regional policies and develop delivery programmes complementary to those of the other partners - enabling us to make a tangible difference to those businesses and communities that need it most. There is still much to do, and we look forward to being an integral partner going forward.”
