Circular Economy Network+ in Transportation Systems (CENTS)

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Transport)
Not Energy Related

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour)
Other (Energy technology information dissemination)

Dr KEA Kirwan
School of Engineering
University of Warwick

Standard

EPSRC

01 December 2019

30 November 2023

48 months

£1,027,936

Pollution; waste & resources

West Midlands

Manufacturing : Manufacturing

Dr KEA Kirwan, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Professor S Evans, Engineering, University of Cambridge
Dr M Jolly, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University
Dr J Lee, Centre for Environment & Sustainabilit, University of Surrey
Dr E Petavratzi, Minerals, British Geological Survey (BGS) - NERC

Project Contact, ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd.
Project Contact, Transport Systems Catapult
Project Contact, Innoval Technology Ltd
Project Contact, National Oceanography Centre
Project Contact, Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3)
Project Contact, Cast Metals Federation
Project Contact, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Project Contact, University of Southern Denmark
Project Contact, Beta Technology Ltd
Project Contact, University of Exeter
Project Contact, British Stainless Steel Organisation
Project Contact, EIT RawMaterials GmbH
Project Contact, Granta Design Ltd
Project Contact, Chatham House
Project Contact, Knowledge Transfer Network Limited
Project Contact, Tata Group UK
Project Contact, Minerals & Mining
Project Contact, University College London
Project Contact, Reaseheath College
Project Contact, High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult
Project Contact, Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands
Project Contact, University of Nottingham

The 20th Century was characterised by a massive global increase in all modes of transport, on land and water and in the air, for moving both passengers and freight. Whilst easy mobility has become a way of life for many, the machines (planes, automobiles, trains, ships) that enable this are both highly resource consuming and environmentally damaging in production, in use and at the end of their working lives (EoL). Over the years, great attention has been paid to increasing their energy efficiencies, but the same effort has not been put into optimising their resource efficiency.Although they may share a common origin in the raw materials used, the supply chains of transport sectors operate in isolation. However, there are numerous potential benefits that could be realised if Circular Economy (CE) principles were applied across these supply chains. These include recovery of energy intensive and/or technology metals, reuse/remanufacture of components, lower carbon materials substitutions, improved energy and material efficiency. While CE can change the transport system, the transport system can also enable or disable CE. By considering different transport systems in a single outward-looking network, it is more likely that a cascading chain of materials supply could be realised- something that is historically very difficult within just a single sector.CENTS will focus on transport platforms where CE principles have not been well embedded in order to identify synergies between different supply chains and to optimise certain practices, such as EoL recovery and recycling rates and energy and material efficiency. It will also be 'forward looking' in terms of developing future designs, business models and manufacturing approaches so that emergent transport systems are inherently circular. More specifically, our Network will carry out Feasiblity and Creativity@Home generated research that will develop the ground work for future funding from elsewhere; provide travel grants to/from the UK for both established and Early Career Researcgers to increase the UK network of expertise and experience in this critical area; hold conferences and workshops where academics and industrialists can learn from each other; build demonstrators of relevant technology so that industry can see what is possible within a Circular Economy approach. These activities will all be supported by a full communication strategy focusing on outreach with school children and policy influence though agencies such as Catapults and WRAP

03/11/21