News: Microelectronics
10 October 2024
UKRI grants £5.5m for new Responsible Electronics and Circular Technologies Centre
As part of its ‘Building a Green Future’ strategic theme (which aims to accelerate the green economy by supporting research and innovation that unlocks solutions essential to achieving net zero in the UK by 2050), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is granting £25m under its ‘Accelerating the Green Economy’ program to five new green industry centers across the UK.
One of these is the £5.5m Responsible Electronics and Circular Technologies Centre (REACT), based in Scotland’s central belt, as the UK’s first center for sustainable electronics manufacturing and design.
REACT aims to drive the transition to net-zero electronics, addressing both the environmental and economic challenges faced by the industry, while promoting the adoption of green technologies through collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers.
The four-year project is being led and coordinated by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, and Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult in Scotland.
The electronics industry is primarily driven by technical and economic considerations, often neglecting sustainability principles. This has led to significant challenges, including large amounts of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), high emissions across the supply chain, and widespread use of critical raw materials (CRMs) such as gold, palladium and indium, which have with limited reserves.
In Scotland, however, the electronics industry is vital to the regional economy, driving economic growth, environmental commitments, and national security. With over 130 companies and 10,300 staff contributing to an annual turnover of more than £2.8bn, the sector plays a crucial role in fostering productivity and growth.
However, as more prominent manufacturers and buyers increasingly demand that suppliers commit to decarbonizing their products, alongside growing legislative pressure, it is clear that the industry must adapt.
“The Centre will unite leading researchers to drive the industry’s transition toward a net-zero economy,” says University of Glasgow professor Jeff Kettle, who will lead and coordinate the REACT Hub. “Its primary focus will be developing solutions to reduce electronic waste, minimize reliance on critical raw materials, and reduce carbon footprints.”
The REACT team brings extensive expertise across areas including electronic materials, design, manufacturing and assembly, environmental impact, supply chain management, and business modelling.
“REACT will leverage its partnerships to translate research into practical applications, boosting both the region’s and the UK’s global competitiveness in the sector,” says professor Bing Xu of Heriot-Watt University.
Specifically, REACT will collaborate with SMEs in the region to develop demonstrators and market-led solutions and provide skills training. The Compound Semiconductor Catapult in Scotland will provide access to equipment and expertise to support start-ups, SMEs, large organizations, and academia in advancing compound semiconductor technology integration.
“REACT will bring together industrial partners as well as the supply chain of companies and proactively communicate to the wider public, driving change at a governmental level,” says professor Jason Love of the University of Edinburgh.
It is expected that REACT’s work will offer key benefits, including reductions in e-waste, improved energy efficiency and cost savings by adopting greener manufacturing processes. Additionally, REACT will play a role in fostering public-private partnerships to drive these innovations, focusing on co-creation, outreach, and advocacy.
Through conferences, workshops and applied research projects, the center aims to reshape the electronics industry in Scotland’s Central Belt, transforming it into a sustainability model for the global market
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