Loughborough, 20 April 2009
At an event held today at Loughborough University to launch the “Building Britain’s Future –New Industry, New Jobs” initiative, government ministers pointed to the success of Intelligent Energy as an example of how innovation in clean technology can be one of the pillars of economic recovery in the UK. The policy statement identifies areas in which the UK government intends to invest in order to increase British competitiveness, and low carbon technologies are one of the areas in which existing leadership can be built upon to generate new jobs and economic growth.
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Above: Dr Jon Moore explains the advantages of fuel cell hybrid over battery-only vehicles to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, John Denham (Secretary of State, DIUS), Andy Reed MP and Lord Mandelson.
“Intelligent Energy is a prime example of innovation being driven by excellence in technology, harnessing the private sector to grow and thrive, and receiving support from government in the shape of the Technology Strategy Board,” said Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, discussing the role that government can play in helping UK business gain a competitive edge globally.
Earlier, on a visit to Intelligent Energy’s facilities at the Innovation Centre in Loughborough, the prime minister was told of Intelligent Energy’s breakthrough role with Boeing in providing the power system for the world’s first manned fuel cell aircraft in 2008. He also learnt of the company’s leadership of a consortium, part-funded by the government’s Technology Strategy Board, which aims to put a fleet of hydrogen-powered taxis on the streets of London for the 2012 Olympics.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the manner in which Intelligent Energy had “broken new ground” in low carbon innovation. The company started life as a spin-off from Loughborough University, and now employs over 100 staff in the UK and the US.
“It’s fantastic to have senior government figures come here and see what progress we’ve made towards making this low-carbon technology a reality for consumers,” said Henri Winand, chief executive officer of Intelligent Energy. “Fuel cells are a tremendously versatile option for providing clean power in numerous markets, including transport. What we’ve achieved here is testament to the forces of innovation and technical expertise that exist in the UK’s universities. However, we must draw upon support from a number of sources, including the government, to ensure that clean technology like ours becomes a driver of real economic growth in the next few years, and not returned to the realm of science fiction. The time to roll it out into commercial markets is now, and with the government’s backing we can make this a sector of genuine competitive advantage for the UK.”
About Intelligent Energy
Intelligent Energy is a fuel cell power systems company, with a range of leading fuel cell, fuel purification and hydrogen generation technologies. The company is focused on the provision of cleaner power and low carbon technologies. Intelligent Energy partners with leading companies globally, in the transportation, oil and gas, aerospace and defence, distributed generation and portable power markets. Current partners and customers include Scottish & Southern Energy, PSA Peugeot Citroën, and The Suzuki Motor Corporation.
Media Contacts
James Kennedy
AxiCom PR for Intelligent Energy
james.kennedy@axicom.com
T 0208 392 4091
Dr Jon Moore
Director of communications, Intelligent Energy
jon.moore@intelligent-energy.com
T 01509 225863
