The local authorities of Coventry and Warwickshire have joined forces with Coventry University to showcase the latest in low carbon technology at the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) exhibition, the foremost industry event.
The LCV exhibition, now in its fourth year, will be held at its new home of Rockingham Motor Speedway, having outgrown its previous venue – showing the huge popularity and interest in the increasingly important low-carbon sector.
Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Coventry University are coming together to exhibit as ‘Invest in Coventry and Warwickshire’ on 7th & 8th September.
The stand will feature three low-carbon vehicles developed here in Coventry & Warwickshire – the Microcab which uses hydrogen fuel electric drive, the battery-powered Tata Ace EV, and the Mia in which Evida, who recently relocated to Coventry, will be showcasing their latest battery technology. In addition, Eon will be providing an electric vehicle charging post similar to those installed around Coventry as part of the CABLED (Coventry and Warwickshire Low Emissions Demonstrator) project – a 12-month trial of electric vehicles.
Alongside the exhibition, Martin Yardley, Director of City Services and Development at Coventry City Council, will be presenting a seminar in the packed conference programme to further emphasise the advantages of doing business in Coventry and Warwickshire. Mr. Yardley will be talking about the initiatives and developments currently in place in Coventry and Warwickshire, and how low-carbon organisations can benefit from being linked to the region and its academic institutions. The seminar will be taking place at 11.45am on the second day of the event.
Coventry and Warwickshire is at the heart of the British automotive industry, with a global reputation for impressive innovation. The sub-region is home to many of the principal companies which are leading research and development in the green sector, such as WMG, Ricardo, MIRA, Prodrive, BMW, Coventry University and Jaguar Land Rover. For example, Jaguar Land Rover alone is investing nearly £1 billion on environmental innovations.
The Invest in Coventry and Warwickshire stand will be a showcase for inward investment, showing that the region is leading the way for work in this sector. Both councils are working within UK national programmes for Climate Change; the Carbon Trust’s Local Authority Carbon Management Programme; the Energy Savings Trust’s One-to-One Programme; and the Climate Impacts Programme.
The two-day exhibition is a business-to-business event that will bring together the key automotive industry stakeholders to showcase their capabilities in the field of low-carbon vehicles and fleet carbon reduction. Exhibitors and visitors are expected from a wide range of sectors including vehicle manufacturing and its supply chain; fuel companies; technology providers; research organisations and academia.
Councillor Alan Cockburn, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Communities at Warwickshire County Council, said: “Coventry and Warwickshire is home to some of the world’s most renowned automotive companies. Many of these global organisations are leading the way when it comes to low carbon technologies, collectively spending billions of pounds on research and development. The Low Carbon Vehicle exhibition is the perfect platform to showcase these technologies to both the public and the business community.”
Cllr Linda Bigham, Cabinet Member for City Development, said: “The low carbon economy is an opportunity for major growth, both in England and worldwide. The businesses in the Coventry and Warwickshire area are leading the way in the design, development and manufacture of the technologies required to meet the demand. It will hopefully bring new jobs to contribute to a sustainable future for local communities.”
John Latham, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Business Development at Coventry University, said: “The Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle exhibition, as one of the foremost events of its kind, affords businesses both small and large the chance to take advantage of the business and manufacturing opportunities emerging as a result of the UK’s green revolution. Coventry University’s ongoing investment and research into low emissions related automotive technologies is one of a number of initiatives in Coventry and Warwickshire underlining the region’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art expertise to help grow Britain’s green economy.”
To attend the event, register on the website at http://www.lcv2011.co.uk.
