Research Areas

• Energy storage

  

  Research at the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage (BCES) explores how energy storage, particularly thermal and cryogenic energy-based technologies, coupled with appropriate policy, could play an important role in delivering an integrated energy system.

• Nuclear education and research

  

  The Birmingham Centre for Nuclear Education and Research brings together a multidisciplinary team from across the University to tackle fundamental nuclear industry problems. The Centre is making a significant investment in the areas of Nuclear Engineering, Waste Management and Decommissioning.

• Strategic elements and critical materials

  

  Experts within the Birmingham Centre for Strategic Element and Critical Materials are developing new science to address the challenges posed by supply constraints on strategic and critical elements. We are working on the development of new recycling processes to enable the recovery of critical materials from end of life products, mining wastes and even road dust.

• The cold economy

  

  Effective cooling is essential to preserve food and medicine. It underpins industry and economic growth, is key to sustainable urbanisation but is energy intensive. Our research in this area explores the technology and the societal, business and financial models needed to deliver sustainable cooling for all.

• Fuel cell and hydrogen research

  

  Our research at the Birmingham Centre for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research is driving both the technology and thinking required to solve some of the challenges facing the UK, as it seeks to develop sustainable solutions to the designing of future cities, energy and transportation.

• Transport systems

  

  The transport sector is one of the world’s largest consumers of energy and at present is heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Our engineering and environmental scientists are researching alternative energy sources and optimising efficiency whilst investigating the resilience of the UK transport network to climate change.

• Environmental and energy economics and management

  

  This centre brings together individuals from a variety of disciplines to examine the complex relationship between economic activity and the environment. The geographic scope of the centre's interests and activities are as global as the environmental issues themselves.

• Research publications

  

  We regularly produce videos, brochures and research that analyse the major challenges in the energy sector. Our publications set out practical steps for changing the way we deliver, consume and think about energy.