UEL and Hover deepen clean energy partnership

The University of East London's London Renewable Energy Lab (LREL) has welcomed clean technology company Hover Energy to its Docklands campus to mark the next phase of a strategic research partnership focused on developing intelligent renewable microgrids.

The visit celebrated Hover Energy's investment in a dedicated postdoctoral researcher, Dr Chandan Pandey, who has joined LREL to help lead research into the design and optimisation of next-generation hybrid energy systems.

The collaboration will combine Hover Energy's innovative wind technology with solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage, electric vehicles, heat pumps and other renewable technologies to create smarter, more resilient and scalable low-carbon energy solutions.

Using artificial intelligence, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), digital twins and advanced optimisation techniques, researchers will develop intelligent energy systems capable of maximising performance, improving resilience and accelerating the transition to net zero for buildings and communities.

During the visit, Hover Energy's leadership team met with UEL Vice-Chancellor & President Professor Amanda Broderick and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Impact and Innovation) Professor Matt Bellgard to discuss how the partnership has grown from an initial conversation into a strategic collaboration spanning research, innovation, student engagement and technology development.

Professor Broderick said: 
"Achieving the transition to net zero requires universities and industry to combine bold ideas with the expertise, investment and real-world environments needed to put them into practice. Hover Energy's funding of a Clean Energy Postdoctoral Fellow within our LREL, alongside industry placements for two London Design and Engineering UTC T Level students, shows how this partnership is investing in both the technologies and talent needed for a more sustainable future.

UEL is helping to create a living laboratory for clean energy innovation – developing solutions that can strengthen local resilience and be applied much more widely. Crucially, this work also gives our students and researchers the opportunity to work directly with industry to help shape emerging technologies, build the skills needed for the green economy and contribute directly to a cleaner, healthier and more inclusive future."

Professor Matt Bellgard said: "This partnership began with a simple conversation and a shared ambition to accelerate the transition to cleaner, smarter energy systems. Today, it has grown into a strategic collaboration spanning research, innovation, student engagement and technology development, including Hover Energy's investment in a dedicated postdoctoral researcher.

"Through the London Renewable Energy Lab, we're bringing together industry, academia and our Royal Docks anchor institution partners, including London City Airport, Tate & Lyle Sugars, EXCeL London and the London Design & Engineering UTC, to develop solutions that will benefit both our local communities and the wider transition to net zero. This is exactly the kind of civic leadership and industry collaboration that universities should be driving."

Chris Griffin, Chief Executive Officer of Hover Energy, said:

Many of the technologies that shape our future begin as ideas inside university research laboratories. By working closely with UEL, we're combining world-class research with industry expertise to help turn those ideas into commercially deployable solutions. We're delighted to support this partnership and invest in the next generation of clean energy innovation."

During the visit, Griffin also met with researchers and students, encouraging them to challenge conventional thinking and embrace innovation as a driver of a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Dr Hasan Baig, Head of the London Renewable Energy Lab, said:

"Our ambition is to develop next-generation renewable energy systems that combine cutting-edge research with industrial application. Working closely with Hover Energy allows us to bring together expertise in artificial intelligence, computational modelling, renewable energy systems and digital engineering to create smarter, more resilient microgrids.

This collaboration also provides outstanding opportunities for our researchers and students to work on technologies with real commercial and societal impact while helping accelerate the UK's transition to net zero."

The collaboration forms part of UEL's wider work with Royal Docks anchor institutions and industry partners to develop clean energy solutions capable of being deployed locally and at scale.

As the partnership progresses, UEL and Hover Energy will collaborate on research publications, funding opportunities and demonstrator projects that showcase the potential of intelligent renewable microgrids, while creating new opportunities for students and researchers to work alongside industry on technologies that will help shape the future of sustainable energy.