Aggreko Launches £33 Million Innovation Program for New Power Products

Aggreko, global provider of modular, mobile power, has announced a new £33 million innovation program to develop its next generation of power product solutions in Scotland. The three-year Future Technology Initiative will create 23 highly skilled research and development jobs.

Aggreko has received a £1.5 million grant from Scottish Enterprise to help fund development of their renewables offering with a particular focus on solar-diesel hybrid solutions and energy storage, more efficient engine technology and the introduction of waste heat recovery. All of the research projects are designed to reduce the cost of energy for communities and industries around the world.

“Power generation and energy markets are going through a fundamental change and businesses, organizations and governments across the globe are having to respond rapidly to this changing energy landscape,” said Aggreko CEO Chris Weston. “With an increasingly decentralized energy system and the urgent need for cleaner fuels, which require integration and control, it is necessary that companies innovate and invest.

“The Scottish government has identified the need for a low-carbon economy and increased innovation as a top priority. We are delighted with the support Scottish Enterprise has shown by contributing funding towards our Future Technology initiative.”

The initiative will cover 15 individual projects, covering three key technology areas:

• Delivering greater proportion of renewables and more sustainable power: expansion of the company’s solar-diesel hybrid plant and energy storage offerings;
• Investing in control systems and automation to improve efficiency: development of advanced new control systems to allow integration of renewables and battery storage technology;
• Improve engine efficiency: through the development of more efficient diesel and gas fuel solutions, which will allow our existing technology to efficiently use propane and other types of gas.

The new products will be developed and manufactured at Aggreko’s Manufacturing & Technology facility at Lomondgate, Dumbarton, Scotland. Constructed specifically for Aggreko in 2012, the Lomondgate facility employs more than 240 people. The products manufactured there are deployed all over the world, from remote villages in the Amazon to gold mines in Western Australia.

“With 23 highly skilled jobs being created in Dumbarton and significant investment by the company, it is hugely encouraging that Aggreko regard Scotland as the perfect place for them to grow their business,” said Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. “As our new energy strategy sets out, it is crucial that we find new ways to ensure energy is produced efficiently, and integrates renewable and low carbon technology as is the case with these developments by Aggreko.”

“Aggreko is already a world leader in providing temporary power systems, but it is their forward-thinking, innovative approach which will keep them there,” added Linda Hanna, managing director of Scottish Enterprise. “The company has identified three early stage, highly innovative projects which have the potential to deliver significant competitive advantage. By bringing our support to these projects, we can help Aggreko maximize its innovation, continue to anchor itself in Scotland and further increase Scotland’s reputation as a global energy hub.”