WIREDGOV

A new £8.3m investment announced today will help develop groundbreaking new low carbon technologies in Wales and create up to 150 ‘green jobs’.

Cardiff University's SEREN project will help business commercialise their innovative ideas to develop new products, services and technologies for the low carbon economy.

The programme will pioneer research into areas such as burning coal underground to generate energy as well as carbon storage in a bid to cut greenhouse emissions and fuel costs.  

As part of the programme a borehole will be sunk into the South Wales coalfield in order to trial and prove the technology of burying and storing carbon in the large deposits of coal that exist in un-mineable seams.

Research will also be undertaken into more efficient extraction of heat from the ground, in order to provide heat energy to buildings.

The impact of this research will create two new industries in Wales, namely coal gasification and carbon storage, supporting new jobs and businesses. It will also contribute to Wales’ quest to become self sufficient in energy and attract companies working on innovative low-carbon technologies.

SEREN is backed with £4.6m from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government. Further funding is from the British Geological Survey, Private Sector and Cardiff University's own funds.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said:

"Helping business to commercialise research to develop the next generation of low carbon technologies is vital to position Wales as a world leader in this area and help meet our energy targets.

“At the heart of the SEREN programme is a commitment to foster a climate of innovation which will lead to more highly skilled jobs, enterprise creation and inward investment for the benefit of the whole Convergence area of West Wales and the Valleys”, said Mr Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport.

Welsh companies participating in SEREN will be assisted to export their new products and services as well as engage with other small and medium sized enterprises working in this field.

A programme of lectures, seminars and workshops will take place as part of the initiative to train and upskill the workforce to support these new developments in the low carbon economy.

A web portal will also be set up to provide a range of online low carbon tools such as performance assessments of carbon sequestration technology.  These can be downloaded and used by companies, placing leading edge technologies at their fingertips.

Professor Hywel Thomas of Cardiff University said

“The technologies developed on the SEREN project will help create new industries such as coal gasification and carbon capture, here in Wales, and will also be showcased worldwide to help promote Welsh companies on the international stage”.

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