Member Article

Sustainable R&D projects receive government funding

Twelve new research and development projects based on more efficient and sustainable use of resources will share £4.5 million in government support.

The funding comes from the Technology Strategy Board and will see industrial end-users working with their supply chains and with innovators to create sustainable new technologies, products and processes that reduce the global environmental impact of the materials we use.

Innovations developed will also reduce our dependence on key raw materials, and show how greater resource efficiency benefits will help the UK to tap into growing global market opportunity for technologies, products and process.

David Bott, Director of Innovation Programmes at the Technology Strategy Board, said: “More and more UK businesses recognise that if we are to be competitive and prosperous in a resource-efficient, low carbon economy, we need to develop products and processes that make better use of natural resources, generate less waste and have reduced impact on the environment.

“Also many key enabling technologies for a sustainable economy rely on a relatively small number of high-tech materials which may become difficult to source in the future.”

Some examples of the collaborative R&D projects to be undertaken include the development of concrete products made without Portland cement; substitution of silver in electronic conductive inks and the development of UK sustainable supply of high purity graphite.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .