News

Durham University student presents research to MPs

(8 December 2006)

Durham University young research student Jon Major presented his work on renewable energy in the House of Commons last week. Jon, who is from Maryport in Cumbria, was one of just 90 researchers chosen from across the UK to participate in the Science Engineering and Technology showcase event (SET for Britain). Local MPs Jim Cousins and Roberta Blackman-Woods were among those who took a special interest in Jon’s work.

Jon’s work is geared to reducing the cost of clean electricity generation from solar panels. He is looking at the basic chemistry and physics that will allow the panels to be manufactured more cheaply and effectively. Jon said: “Britain’s plans to reduce carbon emission by 60% before 2050 are ambitious. Over the next 25 years, wind power will make a remarkable contribution, but after that, solar energy will be the vital technology in renewable power generation. Quality research in the field is the way forward to reaching the target.” The research project is part of the £4.5 million UK national solar energy research programme PV-21 which is led from Durham University and is funded by the Research Council’s ‘Supergen’ initiative. Professor Ken Durose, who leads the project, said “Young scientists like Jon are the mainstay of the national solar research programme. It’s the science behind the scenes that makes renewable energy tick, and it’s really great that it’s getting some attention. Jon is doing brilliant work and has taken his message to right where it counts”.