ERA is investing £12m in the RAD building and its equipment and facilities

A new Research Acceleration and Demostration building is being built in Nottingham in order to house a range of new equipment and facilities which researchers and business partners can use to help find solutions to the energy challenges faced by industry and society. There will be laboratory space for research ranging from harvesting and storing wind energy, to the development of materials for hydrogen storage.

What ERA is doing

Equipment installed in the building’s research labs is designed to take novel energy materials and technologies from the test bench into working devices, ranging from gas storage materials and batteries through to water-splitting surfaces and fuel cells.

Multidisciplinary Development Lab (MDL)
The MDL is designed to drive scientific discoveries and new energy technologies from bench to demonstrator.

Hydrogen Systems Test Bed
Hydrogen technologies will make a major impact on two important energy challenges: decarbonisation of heat, and zero emission vehicles.

High Performance Compression and Expansion Lab (HPCX)
Machines that compress or expand gas are hugely important in both generation and electricity consumption, focusing on reducing wasted energy.

Carbon Capture through Solid Adsorbent Looping Technology
ERA is investing in a pilot-scale facility that will enable up to 50kg of absorbent to be prepared and operated under real flue gas condidtions.

The RAD building is designed to meet both Passivhaus and BREEAM energy efficiency standards - the first of its type in the UK to achieve this.

The Hydrogen Systems Test Bed will enable testing of hydrogen components involved in energy generation, storage and use.

The Impact

A purpose built centre which offers leading edge facilities for research and testing renewable and sustainable low-carbon energy technologies.

This includes the development of hydrogen as a clean energy source, carbon capture, new innovations for energy storage and development of new materials for use in energy applications.

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Research Acceleration and Demonstration Building