ERP and leading UK energy companies support new National
Institute for Energy Technologies to help UK develop world class
energy technologies
22nd March 2006
The Energy Research Partnership (ERP) is today (WED) committing
itself to raising private investment to part-fund the UK ’s new National
Institute for Energy Technologies, as announced in today’s
Budget, to help tackle climate change.
The Energy Research Partnership (co-chaired by Sir David King,
Chief Scientific Adviser, and Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of
E.ON UK) will work with industry to secure private investment to
fund the ‘virtual’ institute. This new industry-government
body will build on existing research and financing structures and
will be funded 50:50 by public and private bodies.
BP, EDF Energy, E.ON UK and Shell have already announced their
intention to be involved.
Sir David said: “This is the biggest leap forward for energy
research in the UK in the last 20 years.
“To tackle climate change head on we must work together with academia
and industry to find new technologies and low carbon solutions.
“We believe that the UK can be a world-leader in energy technology. The
Energy Research Partnership and its partners will work with the new National
Institute for Energy Technologies to lead and maximise the impact of the UK’s
energy research and find solutions to tackle climate change.”
Dr Golby said: “It’s essential that companies such
as E.ON UK work hand-in-hand with the public sector to build on
the work we’re already doing to develop tomorrow’s
energy technologies today.
“The challenge is to keep providing the UK with the energy
it needs and to do this in a way that is affordable, reliable and
secure while also ensuring a reduction in the impact we have on
our environment.
“The work of the Energy Research Partnership and the new
institute aims to tackle this challenge and to leverage our collective
expertise to develop solutions.”
It is expected that the Institute will operate over the next decade,
with clear objectives established to help ensure the development
of research into low carbon and secure energy sources.
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