Toby Peters is the inventor and architect of liquid air energy storage and the cold economy. He has created and led the development of "cleantech" around liquid air as a cost- effective energy storage and warehousing solution to a major energy challenge: environmentally and economically sustainable cooling and power in both transport and the built environment. He is internationally recognised for his role is transforming the thinking about how we deliver cooling demands sustainably and the role “clean cold” has to play in emerging market transformation.
His early career focused on strategy and disruptive innovation where he worked with a broad range of business, Government, and NGO/voluntary sector organisations to help design and deliver fundamental and far-reaching commercial and social change. His ability to create and deliver new forms of business operation and collaboration has been demonstrated in more than three decades of work.
In the early nineties as a conflict photo-journalist, he covered stories in Rwanda, Bosnia, Angola and Romania as well as the plight of street children in Peru, South America where he also co-founded a charity providing nursery education and day-care for street children.
Major technology achievements:
- Co-invented Liquid Air Energy Storage and led the development through to commercial demonstration securing more than £20M of grant, industrial and private sector funding funding.
- Led the development of the Dearman cold and power technology from TRL1 to commercial demonstration, securing more than £30M of grant, industrial and private sector funding.
Awards (12) include:
- The Engineer Technology and Innovation Awards, Energy & Environment; Grand Prix;
- Rushlight Award – Power Generation and Transmission; Group Energy Environmental Award;
- IET Innovation Award – Sustainability;
- Business Green Technology Award – Innovator of the Year;
- Cooling Industry Awards – System Innovation of the Year;
- Innovate UK – Inspirational Innovation;
- National Air Quality Award – Innovation in Air Quality Technology