Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
If we are going to reduce CO2 emissions from transport probably the main way we’re likely
to do that is to move to electrification. We’re going to have to electrify transportation
and right at the heart of electrifying transport is the battery.
The Stair cell project really an attempt to try to take lithium batteries beyond the horizon.
You’ve thrown away the lithium cobalt oxide, so you don’t have the cost but you also
don’t have the weight or the volume occupied by the lithium cobalt oxide so you can make
a battery which is smaller and lighter that can store more energy.
The Lithium Air battery, as it is currently, is very much in the laboratory. We have to
work on the science, we have to understand the mechanisms and the processes inside the
battery and with that understanding we will then be able to optimise the battery and as
we do that we can then go to prototypes and scale-up and hopefully, ultimately to commercialisation.
Collaboration is vital. There are many issues to be addressed and we can’t hope to do
all of those here, even with the good infrastructure we have here in St. Andrews, so I collaborate
with colleagues in academia in Scotland and in the UK, in Europe and worldwide. I collaborate
with companies here in Scotland and indeed worldwide and that is absolutely essential
for us to take this forward.
In Scotland we have a real commitment to develop our new energy economy, so I believe that
at the government level there is enthusiasm to support academic research in energy related
areas and certain to bring in inward investment and companies and people who want to come
here and to establish, scale-up and manufacturing, so I think Scotland provides a very positive
climate. It provides the intellectual bases, it provides a lifestyle and it provides an
enthusiasing, willingness and welcoming to people.
We open our doors to the best ideas, to the best people to come here and to make it happen
here in Scotland.