The next generation of battery technology will benefit from a new research facility at the University of St Andrews Eden Campus, helped by UK and Scottish Government funding.
Article continues below
UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord was given a preview of the new battery prototyping facility, or ‘dry lab’, located at the campus at the former paper mill in Guardbridge.
The special ultra-low humidity environment is the first of its kind in Scotland, and will enable companies and researchers to develop and evaluate battery prototypes before they are manufactured in battery gigafactories.
In the dry lab the atmosphere is treated to greatly minimise moisture, creating conditions that allow battery materials to be handled and tested for the most efficient battery operation.
The principal technology produced will be pouch cells - these are stacked together to form large-scale batteries for either electric vehicles or static power storage, both of which are essential to the transition to a net-zero economy.
Commenting on the dry lab UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said: "This dry lab is exactly the sort of facility that Scotland and the UK require to develop our future battery industry.
"This will help to deliver on the Prime Minister’s priorities to grow our economy and create better-paid jobs by putting the country at the cutting edge of the transition to net-zero."
The UK Government is investing £24.5 million in the Eden Campus as part of more than £2.2 billion for levelling up right across Scotland.
The £4.7 million Dry Lab Project is supported by £3.3 million from the UK Government as part of its £24.5 million investment in the Eden Campus through the Tay Cities Region Deal.
The Scottish Government is also investing £2 million in the Eden Campus through the deal, and further funding for the lab is coming via the Scottish Enterprise Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund and the Faraday Institution.
The University of St Andrews is pioneering new battery chemistries and leads the Faraday Institution sodium-ion project. Through this cross-UK research, scientists hope to create a next-generation sodium-ion battery that is cheaper, more efficient and better for the environment than current technologies.
This is important as there are concerns about the environmental impact of supplying the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries.
Last autumn the UK Government awarded a further £211 million to the Faraday Battery Challenge to boost research and development across the batteries sector, including key industries such as Electric Vehicle batteries.
Situated four miles outside of St Andrews, the village of Guardbridge was in steady decline following the closure of the papermill in 2008 and the loss of over 400 local jobs.
The Eden Campus is re-purposing the historic buildings to create a new centre for enterprise and innovation. Over 500 people now work at the Campus and by 2030, this number is expected to double. ■
Predominant upper-level ridging stretching from the Southwest to the southern High Plains will allow for another day of record-breaking heat across parts of Nevada and Arizona today.