08 Jul 2009 | Ref. 119/2009
LONDON, UK – BAE Systems has today announced a £1 million three-year partnership with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to conduct research into energy management.
The initiative recognises the need to better manage energy in the defence sector, which will cut emissions, reduce overall cost and secure supply.
Research will focus on the development of intelligent energy management systems for use in the defence sector, initially on BAE Systems sites across the UK but with potential for wider use both in the defence industry and on military bases. Longer term, the research partners aim to extend these systems to other sectors to enhance the competitiveness of British industry.
The partnership will also investigate new energy technologies that could enable unmanned aircraft systems to operate more efficiently, helping them to stay in the air for longer.
Malcolm McVicar, Vice-Chancellor at UCLan, commented: “This is a fantastic project and we are grateful to BAE Systems for investing this essential funding. Against the backdrop of climate change there is a pressing need to undertake intelligent research that identifies how energy systems should be planned, designed and operated in a sustainable fashion.
“We hope the findings from this initiative will lead to a revolution in energy and sustainable development and become a demonstration project of progressive science and applied practice – establishing new agendas for what is achievable.”
Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director, Programmes & Support at BAE Systems, said: “Environmental issues are a growing concern for the military and the defence industry. Our partnership with UCLan will show how engineers can tackle these issues and is part of a wider energy management strategy at BAE Systems.
“Working with UCLan is also an opportunity for us to demonstrate our support for research activity in the North West of England, where we employ around 15,000 people. Working in partnership with universities is vital to address future skills gaps and to ensure the
UK remains a world leader in engineering and technology.”
The partnership supports BAE Systems’ environmental strategy to reduce resource use and minimise the environmental impacts of its equipment throughout its life cycle. The company is committed to the UK MoD’s sustainable procurement charter, which requires businesses to address their impact on the environment.
The project is also part of a wider environmentally-focused sustainable development strategy embedded across UCLan and represents a significant step towards the university’s long-term objective to establish itself as a centre of excellence for engineering research in this area.
The partnership will be delivered under the guidance of a BAE Systems/UCLan governance group. UCLan will establish a Centre for Energy and Power Management which will be located within its Centre for Sustainable Development in Preston, Lancashire.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier global defence, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded US $34.4 billion (£18.5 billion) in 2008.
For further information, please contact:
Lindsay Walls, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0)1252 383074 Mob: +44 (0)7793427582
Lindsay.walls@baesystems.com
Kristina Crowe, Biss Lancaster
Tel: +44 (0) 207 257 9821 Mob: +44 (0)7841 279 859
Kristina.crowe@bisslancaster.com
Issued by:
BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384719 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
24hr media hotline: + 44 (0) 7801 717739
www.baesystems.com
