Vince Cable's Specific guide to £20m Baglan-based energy project
BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable has kick-started a Baglan production line which could set standards around the world and create thousands of jobs.
Mr Cable joined First Minister Carwyn Jones at Baglan Energy Park to officially start production of a coating technology which allows buildings to generate, store and release power.
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Essentially, the product being developed by the Specific project focuses on turning buildings into power stations and could see up to 10,000 jobs created in the supply chain.
The technology is already in use on six buildings in Europe and three in Wales, including one at an undisclosed location in Port Talbot.
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Mr Cable confirmed the UK Government had covered half the cost of the £20 million project which is being developed to bring to market over the course of the next five years.
The Welsh Government has also backed the groundbreaking technology to the tune of £2 million.
The Business Secretary said: "The Government's £10 million backing of the Specific project shows what can be achieved when world class university research comes together with the private sector.
"It is a leap of faith but all big new technology is a leap of faith.
"This centre will speed up the commercialisation of innovative industrial coatings, creating a whole new manufacturing sector and new business opportunities, not to mention long-term environmental benefits, including turning buildings into sources of power.
"We are committed to investing in high value, high tech sectors where the UK can gain a competitive advantage and promote economic growth."
The First Minister said the Specific project would not just generate ideas for years to come but lead to job creation.
Specific already provides work for around 60 people in Baglan and is expected to create between 5,000 and 10,000 jobs in the supply chain.
Mr Jones said: "We know that one of the most effective ways of creating jobs is to create a cluster of skills.
"What we are saying is come to Wales because we have the skills that you need.
"In order for that to be achieved we need places like this.
"We know that growth and sustainable job creation are at the heart of our programme of Government here in Wales."
Steel giant Tata is one of the key commercial partners on the Specific project.
Tata industrial director Paul Jones joined the Business Secretary and First Minister on their tour of the Baglan site.
The 43-year-old from Crynant, who has worked for Tata for 22 years, said: "What we are doing is quite exciting because we are building this technology where we can turn buildings into power stations.
"Myself and Swansea University professor and Specific research director Dave Worsley started it up as just the two of us."
"There are now 60 plus people working there," he added.
Comments
by Philosoraptor
Thursday, October 25 2012, 5:18PM
“Oh ****, sorry for double post. I forgot that the fact they absorb heat it means the city heat island effect would be reduced. They take in more heat energy than the reflect so none of that worrying increase in temperatures in places surrounded by skysraper glass and due to their dark colour (which is why they are great absorbers) less dazzling light comes off the surface. I think it is why the solar part is very efficient, it wastes little light.
Google it, it is a promising start for what is essentially a prototype stage of a frigging window! I mean... it's a window that that does better than a solar panel! Very nifty!”
by Philosoraptor
Thursday, October 25 2012, 5:14PM
“True Stork, £12M is quite a sum for us mere mortals. You mention solar panels and I remember an announcement about a year or so ago where one innovative company managed to create a glass window pane which absorbed both heat and light and converted that in to electrical energy.
It is quite an ingenious design because it was relatively efficient for solar technology, it could claw back about a percentage of the light being emitted from within the building itself. Nifty. I will admit I do not know the percentage off the top of my head and that the number is pretty low. It might have been around the 10% mark, so a 60w bulb would allow the window to capture 6w under perfect conditions, with probably less wattage after conversion. They did give the realistic expected claim back of energy from within and I am sure I remember it being more than 2% which if used on every office building from now on would make a massive difference.
Then there is the heat from both outside on hot days, and then again what it can claim back from within the building. Again a low claim back of energy but better than nothing. It's overall efficiency was way beyond solar panels can achieve, I find it wonderfully ironic that this particular piece of technology can recycle a little bit of the energy used to power street lights, and then also from the dazzling headlights of cars as they go past.
If it is this technology, then it is money well spent. Alone these solar heat windows are no game changer, but as for reaching the reduction target they become a big player provided the government uses it's head and makes them mandatory for all new commercial building. Direct sunlight would be desirable but not required, a big leap for solar.”
by Gwyddno
Thursday, October 25 2012, 4:25PM
“Stork
Your 'deliberate' mistakes happen too often.
The guy in overalls is demonstrating how the coating melts in your mouth, not in your hands.
Carwyn isn't paying attention.”
by Stork
Thursday, October 25 2012, 4:14PM
“Philosoraptor
Well done for spotting today's deliberate mistake. I put these in now and then to make sure people are paying attention. Yes of course, it's only £12 million of public money.
In the meanwhile, I'd still like to know what the coating is. Is it some form of paint, or a new recipe solar panel ? How efficient is it ? Is it any better or worse than the solar panels on some peoples' roof ? If it's public money, it would be nice to know, after all, £12 million is a fair sum.”
by siarad2
Thursday, October 25 2012, 3:38PM
“I thought this was a USA invention so how is this different.”
by Philosoraptor
Thursday, October 25 2012, 2:31PM
“You didn't read the article. It's obvious. For a start, you got the public money figure wrong.”
by Stork
Thursday, October 25 2012, 12:44PM
“£22 million of public money, is a significant investment. I trust the government, London and Cardiff, were as tough as those investors on the Dragons Den tv programme.
Anyway, what is the coating and what's the theory behind it ?”