Government invests in low carbon aircraft engine technology

The Strategic Affordable Manufacturing in the UK with Leading Environmental Technology (SAMULET) programme will be delivered by the Government’s Technology Strategy Board, which supports UK business in the development of new technology, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
 
SAMULET will attempt to engineer a collaborative process between industry and academia; implementation will be led by Rolls-Royce, which will work in a consortium alongside other high-profile manufacturers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and several of the UK's top universities.
 
With a total cost, including industry investment, in the region of £90 million, this is a major investment in UK engineering R&D, and chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, Iain Gray, is in no doubt about the wide-ranging benefits the programme will bring to UK business. “We supported this intervention because we felt that it was essential that new technology advances rapidly enough in the industry to ensure that the UK retains a competitive advantage in this field,” he said.

The programme will hopefully position the aero industry at the forefront of a global market that is changing as a result of environmental legislation. “SAMULET aims to ensure that the UK aero-engine industry remains competitive in the face of new 2020 emissions targets for aircraft and that it is in a position to manufacture engines for the next generation of civil aircraft,” commented Mr Gray.

He also alluded to the programme’s possible showcasing of wider UK engineering offerings: “Through the supply chain and academic partners, SAMULET offers exciting opportunities to promote UK high-value manufacture more generally,” he said.
 
While the new realities of manufacturing in a global economy that will need to adapt to vastly reduced carbon emissions represents a challenge to Rolls-Royce and other leading manufacturers, it also brings significant opportunities for UK businesses.

Chief executive of the EPSRC, Dave Delpy, said: “This important partnership brings together key stakeholders and provides a strategic focus in the search for new technologies to provide an effective response to emissions targets and maximise energy efficiency. [It] is also an excellent example of how the union of research and industry will develop business, stimulate economic growth and ensure the UK plays a leading role in providing solutions to the challenges of the 21st century."


The programme will also focus on productivity and environmental improvements, including reductions in raw material usage, efficient advanced manufacturing processes and lower engine fuel consumption. While this collaboration between UK business and academia aims to ensure a leading UK industry remains globally competitive, a successful application of science and engineering research may also help overcome the threat of climate change and represent another small step towards sustainable living.