Shortlist Gallery

R&D Project of the Year

A2Lsystems – TEV

Comprehensive R&D work ensures that the Marstair A2L systems can be easily specified and installed safely in many current and future retail applications. To support this, Marstair also provide a risk assessment guidance within its instructions giving easy to follow information to installers.

The massive 93% reduction in refrigerant GWP and environmental benefits A2L refrigerants can deliver are clear and obvious. Key to their success and the delivery of their environmental benefits will be how quickly consultants, distributors and refrigeration contractors upgrade from traditional retail refrigeration equipment to a new innovative solution. Marstair A2L systems give these key stakeholders the solution they need to deliver crucial environmental benefits.

Development of Novel Joining Techniques for Reinforced Thermoset Pipes – Non-Metallic Innovation Centre

The Non-Metallic Innovation Centre (NIC) is developing an innovative method for joining reinforced thermosetting resin (RTR) composite pipes that has the potential to replace an adhesive joint and a sealing gasket, contributing to a more reliable joining solution for the oil and gas (O&G) industry.

In the O&G industry, there is a huge opportunity for replacing traditional metallic pipes with non-metallic alternatives such as RTR composite pipes, with the promise of significant cost savings achieved by eliminating corrosion. Greater deployment of RTR pipes can contribute to availing more sustainable solutions with lower carbon emissions, considering the life-cycle carbon footprint of composite pipes compared to metallic pipes. O&G operators have invested significant resources in deploying composite pipes (including RTR) for transporting hydrocarbons and other fluids, but they recognise that limitations have hindered further deployments.

Holistic Pantograph and Overhead Line Monitoring System (HPOMS) – Transmission Dynamics

This iconic R&D project is being delivered by likeminded individuals from organisations of all sizes, acting as enablers, providing knowledge, access, contacts and solutions for their joint causes and the fantastic impact it is having on the rail industry today and for the future.

The partners have collaborated to tackle rail industry challenges relating to the burdens of expensive precautionary and uniformed maintenance regimes and the need for affordable and scalable remote condition monitoring of electrified train pantographs and overhead lines.

The PANDAS-V® system prototype has been developed and deployed in a live trial in a staggering 8-month period. The system meets all of its design specifications provided by rail industry stakeholders and offers a truly innovative, holistic pantograph and overhead line monitoring solution.

The live trial has been live for only 2 weeks at the point of submitting this application to BEEA and is already receiving extensive feedback from Network Rail, train operating companies and rolling stock leasing companies.

Just Add Water System (JAWS) – Shell

The Just Add Water System (JAWS) is a R&D software developed by Shell Shipping and Maritime to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of commercial shipping. The software advise ship captains on the most optimum hydrodynamic conditions of their vessel to achieve fuel savings and emissions reductions. A full YouTube video explaining the software and its features is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=MNo9oVB69ps

The project was started in 2016, with the aim of using data from shipping operations to identify opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and emissions from the insights available in this data. The project identified efficiencies which have been developed into a project called JAWS. This software has been able achieve fuel consumptions and emissions reductions of 3 to 7%.

As discussed in this application, the product has just entered the market to allow others to be able to decarbonise their operations.

Just in Time Clinical Pharmacy: Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre PACE – CPI

Clinical trial manufacture is currently run as a Just in Case process and we want to change it to be a Just in Time process. Reducing waste, cost and increasing flexibility.

We have brought together a fantastic team to collaborate on a world changing idea: Spanning 8 organisations (CPI, Applied Materials, AstraZeneca, CME, GSK, NPL and Siemens), many departments and at least 20 disciplines.

We have delivered a world changing vision.

This delivery is two-fold, both in terms of the idea that has formed the design (automation and digital release solution) and the the demonstrator that has been finalised today. We will soon deliver the production version and its commercial impact.

The commercial solution, which we fully expect to deliver, will drastically reduce the carbon footprint of clinical trials, cut cost, increase options for medicines development and speed up the delivery of medicines.

ZipCharge Go – ZipCharge

ZipCharge is creating the world’s first global portable EV charging network to serve a billion people with convenient and low-cost charging wherever they park. The company mission is to democratise EV charging by removing the main barrier to electric vehicle ownership. In the UK alone, 8.5 million or 40% of car owning households don’t have designated off-street parking and can’t charge at home. ZipCharge has developed the Go, a portable EV charger that is compact, affordable, and connected, providing sufficient range for daily driving. The Go charger is designed to be simple to use for personal use at home, work and other destinations - anywhere a driver parks their car. The ZipCharge portable charging platform combines hardware, software, machine learning and innovative ownership models to make EV charging more affordable, convenient, and lower cost by utilising the charger as a local energy storage device to provide flexibility and resilience for the grid through the ZipCharge intelligent energy management system. For more information, please visit www.zipcharge.global