Sunamp makes final of engineering innovation awards

Sunamp's heat batteries are among the finalists competing for the UK’s leading prize for engineering innovation.

The winning team will take home £50,000 and will be announced at the Academy Awards Dinner in London on 9 July.

Products developed by Sunamp, Google DeepMind and University of Oxford Vaccine Consortium with AstraZeneca have been named finalists for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s MacRobert Award, the UK’s longest running prize for engineering; now in its 55th year.

Tranent-based Sunamp has pioneered the development of using phase change materials for thermal energy storage. The batteries store and release large amounts of thermal energy through the melting and solidifying of the specially-developed materials, providing an efficient and sustainable solution for heating and cooling applications - like heat storage for domestic hot water which is more space and energy efficient than traditional hot water cylinders.

Andrew Bissell, chief executive and co-founder at Sunamp, said “Being nominated for the MacRobert Award is amazing recognition that underscores the profound impact dedicated teams can have on society and the planet, proving that with the right vision and determination even the smallest players can drive monumental change.

“It has been a privilege to work with the likes of Dr David Oliver who invented our stabilised formulation for Plentigrade phase change material; Maurizio Zaglio bringing fresh ideas from academia to model and refine the heat exchange process; Sandy Gataora bringing to bear decades of expertise from the world of HVAC and the whole team crossing disciplinary boundaries to bring something needed and new into the world.

“Overcoming these significant engineering challenges is not just an innovation, it’s a beacon of hope for reducing carbon emissions from heating and cooling around the world.“

The three finalist teams are competing for a gold medal and a £50,000 prize, as well as a luxury weekend at Douneside House in the heart of the MacRobert estate in Aberdeenshire.

The finalists were chosen through a competitive selection process, chaired by 2002 winner and fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Professor Sir Richard Friend.

He commented: “This year’s three finalists highlight the power of collaboration in creating engineering excellence.

“Sunamp’s strong connections with Edinburgh University brought fundamental science to solve practical engineering challenges that had limited phase change heat storage, and helped develop its advanced heat batteries which are paving the way for sustainable thermal energy storage and helping combat climate change.

“These finalists are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges relating to weather prediction and climate change, healthcare, and sustainable energy.

“It’s an honour to be recognising the heroes behind truly revolutionary engineering innovations coming out of the UK.”

Since the presentation of the first award in 1969, which honoured Rolls-Royce for the Pegasus engine and Freeman, Fox and Partners for the Severn Bridge, the MacRobert Award has recognised transformative contributions, from the world’s first bionic hand - developed by Touch Bionics - to innovations from Jaguar Land Rover and Inmarsat that continue to have a global impact.

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