Region secures £19m to support Low-Carbon status
THE MIDLANDS has been designated a new Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) and has won £19m of government funding for research into and development of low carbon vehicles.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson made the announcement during a visit to the International Manufacturing Centre at the University of Warwick yesterday.
“I want to see the Midlands help the UK to lead the global automotive industry in the transition from conventional to low carbon vehicle technologies. The LCEA will send a clear signal to the global market about the Midlands’ strengths in advanced automotive engineering.
“The move towards a low carbon economy presents huge opportunities. This new funding will help secure the Midlands’ 10,000 existing car industry jobs, by helping transform them into the green car jobs of the future,” he said.
Key stakeholders in the Midlands LCEA include Advantage West Midlands, East Midlands Development Agency centre of excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies, Technology Strategy Board, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota, Tata Motors, Mitsubishi and the Universities of Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick and Loughborough.
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Partners in the Low Carbon Vehicles Technology (LCVTP) programme include Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors, Zytek, Ricardo, MIRA, WMG at the University of Warwick and Coventry University. The project will also involve UK suppliers.
Advantage West Midlands will invest £9.5 million into the LCVTP combined with £9.5 million European funds, and more than £10 million of industry funds.
Mick Laverty, AWM Chief Executive, said: “This is great news and reflects the real strengths of the West and East Midlands regions in automotive manufacturing. Becoming a Low Carbon Economic Area will reinforce our growing reputation as globally competitive regions, which continue to develop cutting-edge green technologies and high technology industries upon which the future prosperity of all UK regions will depend.
“It is now more important than ever that we continue to make every pound count and achieve maximum impact through our strategic interventions.”
Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KB CBE, Director and Founder of the University of Warwick’s Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) said:
“The car industry is facing huge challenges over the next decade. From emissions, the environment to safety engineering, a new generation of hi-tech but low carbon cars will be required. Today’s announcement is a crucial and most welcome government investment in low carbon automotive engineering which will help companies meet these global needs and provide them with new opportunities to grow as the world emerges from recession.
“The Midlands has a substantial, highly sophisticated, and advanced automotive industry and supply chain. This investment will bring researchers and manufacturers together to ensure that that industry and supply chain not only prospers but plays a leading role in building our low carbon future.”
