ScottishPower funds university smart grid role

ScottishPower has joined forces with the University of Strathclyde to boost the progress of smart grids in the UK. The energy company will pay £750,000 over five years for a […]

ScottishPower has joined forces with the University of Strathclyde to boost the progress of smart grids in the UK.

The energy company will pay £750,000 over five years for a new position at the university called the ScottishPower Chair in Smart Grid Technology’.

ScottishPower network development director Jim Sutherland said: “ScottishPower already has smart grid projects in progress, but we understand the importance of working with the academic world in order to develop new technology and keep improving and expanding the benefits that smart grids will bring to customers.

“We also hope that our partnership with Strathclyde will help to spark further interest in this area of engineering and produce graduates of the future who will be able to bring their skills into the industry.”

University of Strathclyde principal Jim McDonald said: “This investment reflects Scotland’s opportunity to be at the forefront of smart grid technology and engineering. We have established world-leading, electrical power system research capacity and we see the new Professorial investment as a basis for strengthening our international impact and industrial partnerships.

“The University has a long and successful history of working with industry and producing research to help tackle the challenges of the 21st Century. The new academic staff will help further this work and support the development of highly skilled graduates needed urgently by the energy sector.”

The energy industry and the government have outlined their support for upgrading the electricity network across the UK and several trial projects are already under way. ScottishPower is developing smart grid projects in Glasgow, Liverpool and Cheshire.

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