A group of PhD students from the University of Bath’s Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies have won first prize in a nationwide competition.
The Energy Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (Energy YES) is now in its second year. The competition offers a chance for applicants to improve their business skills, helping them take their ideas from R&D into full scale production. There is also a practical side to Energy YES; namely solving some of the most serious challenges which face the energy industry.
You can learn more about Energy Yes in the video below from 2013 participants Professor Simon Mosey from University of Nottingham and JingJing Liu:
The University of Bath team, who named themselves Absol Composites, designed a lightweight composite material for use in the manufacture of shipping containers.
The idea for the composite material developed by the team had several advantages over steel, which is traditionally used to make shipping containers. Importantly, Absol predicted a reduction in fuel consumption, since 12% of the weight of a fully loaded container is from the container itself. Containers manufactured using the new composite material would also be easier to x-ray and would have greater resistance to corrosion.
Despite the competition being ‘tough’ according to Jez Cope, one of the members of Absol Composites, the team managed to outdo 50 other researchers from across the country over the 3 day competition. As well as taking home a £1000 prize, the team now have a chance to compete in the Engineering YES final on Wednesday 18 June.
