Month: June 2018

Posted on

Press release: Green light for ultra-fast electric car charging innovation

A new pioneering technology to ensure a next generation of safer, high-powered electric car batteries can be charged by drivers in ultra-fast time is just one of 12 innovation projects to receive the green light from the government’s Faraday Battery Challenge.

The PowerDrive Line project being led by Southampton-based company Ilika is focusing on sold state battery cell development, in particular how to manufacture at scale in the UK and how to build in ultra-fast charging technology of less than 25 minutes for a vehicle as is seen in some current battery systems.

In total £22 million grants are being rewarded to consortia across the UK as part of the latest round of funding through the Faraday Battery Challenge, part of the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

The funding is key to realising the government’s ambitions for innovative energy solutions as set out in our modern Industrial Strategy. The Faraday Battery Challenge brings together world-leading research and business to accelerate the research needed to develop battery technologies.

Other major R&D projects funded include:

  • a revolutionary approach to battery management led by Williams Advanced Engineering
  • a McLaren Automotive led consortium project that aims to accelerate the development of electrified powertrains
  • a revolutionary battery recycling project that will develop the first UK industrial scale capability to reclaim and reuse battery essential metals. This project is being led by Cheshire-based ICoNiChem and involves Jaguar Land Rover
  • an Aston Martin Lagonda project into the development of better performance battery packs.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:

Innovative battery technology is changing the way we live, travel and work and the Government is committed to putting Britain at the heart of this energy revolution.

Today’s £22 million investment in world-leading R&D projects is an example of our modern Industrial Strategy in action and will help pioneering companies realise the economic benefits the global transition to a low carbon economy offers.

UK Research and Innovation chief executive Professor Sir Mark Walport said:

Effective, efficient and sustainable transport is key to addressing so many of today’s challenges from industrial growth to social inclusion. Through advanced battery technology, we will unlock a new generation of electric vehicles, further improving vehicle performance and uptake, opening doors to innovative new transport ideas and significantly reducing environmental impacts. Today’s investment shows we are catalysing collaboration between research teams and commercial partners across the UK to make this a reality.

Battery Challenge Director Tony Harper said:

This latest round of cutting-edge research and development projects illustrate the quality of innovations coming from our research and industrial base, and reinforce why the UK is a world-leader in battery technology development.

Link: Press release: Green light for ultra-fast electric car charging innovation
Source: Gov Press Releases

Posted on

Press release: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon: preview of plans for Huntingdon

The 43 year-old viaduct, which carries the existing A14 over the railway line and local roads currently dominates the skyline near the Huntingdon train station. Removing it, and creating link roads to and from the old A14, is an important part of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme, which is upgrading 21 miles of the A14 to three lanes in each direction, including a brand new bypass south of Huntingdon.

The plans will enable a major redesign of the Huntingdon train station area. A new public transport hub will be created, with bus stops conveniently located for the railway station. Removing the viaduct will also reduce noise and air pollution and will facilitate further improvements in Huntingdon town centre.

Main construction work is expected to start in 2019.

Chris Bayliss, A14 project manager at Highways England, said:

Work to upgrade the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon is progressing well and we are on schedule to open the new road to traffic by the end of 2020.

The Huntingdon viaduct was built in 1975, and removing it will create new opportunities for Huntingdon. Once the new A14 is open to traffic, the old A14 will become a local road. The plans we are sharing today will make it even easier for people to travel around, as well as in and out of, Huntingdon.

We are holding six public events this June and encourage people to come see us for a chat and find out more about these exciting plans!

To find out more about the work in Huntingdon people are invited to come along to one of the events – details can be found on the scheme webpage.

The £1.5bn A14 upgrade will add additional capacity, boost the local and national economy and cut up to 20 minutes off journeys.

The main construction work at Huntingdon will include a new Mill Common link road, the removal of the A14 viaduct and work around the train station, and a new Views Common link road. Preparatory work, such as archaeology and utility diversion, will start ahead of main construction work.

Chance to volunteer on the A14 community archaeology dig this summer

The A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon archaeology team is calling for volunteers to take part in a free summer community dig programme between 24 July and 25 August 2018.

This is a once in a lifetime chance for people to take part in one of the largest archaeological excavation projects ever undertaken in Britain.

Volunteers will work alongside archaeology experts from the A14 archaeology team and its contractors MOLA Headland Infrastructure, exploring evidence of industrial activity relating to the abandoned medieval village of Houghton, near Huntingdon, as well as Iron Age and Roman remains.

Each volunteer must be able to commit to five (not necessarily consecutive) days of excavation from 9am to 4pm.

To apply, email msearle@molaheadland.com before 25 June 2018, stating your preferred days.

For the latest information about the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme, including job and training opportunities, visit the scheme webpage follow @A14C2H on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Link: Press release: A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon: preview of plans for Huntingdon
Source: Gov Press Releases

Posted on

Press release: Foreign Secretary statement on US-DPRK summit

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

We welcome that President Trump and Kim Jong Un have held a constructive summit. This is an important step towards the stability of a region vital to global economic growth and home to thousands of British Nationals and important UK interests.

The reaffirmation of North Korea’s commitment in the Panmunjom Declaration to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is a signal that Kim Jong Un may have finally heeded the message that only a change of course can bring a secure and prosperous future to the people of North Korea.

There is much work still to be done and we hope Kim continues to negotiate in good faith towards complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. The UK will continue to support the United States in its efforts to achieve denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Further information

Media enquiries

For journalists

Link: Press release: Foreign Secretary statement on US-DPRK summit
Source: Gov Press Releases

Posted on

Standing up for the data rights of our citizens – ICO fines Yahoo! UK Services Limited £250,000 after it failed to protect customers’ personal data

James Dipple-Johnstone, ICO Deputy Commissioner of Operations, says that while data protection law might now have changed, the case still provides important lessons for organisations in terms of protecting the public’s personal information and their legal rights.

Link: Standing up for the data rights of our citizens – ICO fines Yahoo! UK Services Limited £250,000 after it failed to protect customers’ personal data
Source: ICO .org.uk