Build your business on the foundation of new ideas

Historically, Wales has been a country of high achievement. Many new ideas, new inventions and new technology have sprung from its fertile soil from earliest times until today.

Expressive and creative, the soul of Wales soars with songs of inspiration. From earliest times its people have had the passion to invent, innovate and improve life not only for Wales but for the world.

Did you know these inventions are from Wales?

Robert Recorde

In 1557, Robert Recorde, a physician and mathematician from Pembrokeshire, changed the teaching of mathematics for ever by inventing the equal sign and introducing the plus sign to English audiences.

One hundred and fifty years later, in 1706, William Jones FRS, another Welsh mathematician, introduced the use of the Greek letter pi to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.

In 1794, Welsh inventor and ironmaster Philip Vaughan patented the first design for a ball bearing, which made a huge contribution world wide to the development of all types of transport, machinery and industrialisation.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries Welsh inventors and philanthropists developed many extraordinary technologies and social reforms that we still benefit from today, such as:

1810 Robert Owen, utopian socialism and the cooperative movement abbreviated by the slogan “eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest”
1836 David Thomas, iron smelting in the Swansea Valley just an hour away from Parc Felindre, which advanced the industrial revolution
1839 Welsh physicist Sir William Grove an early Hydrogen fuel cell
1861 Sir Pryce Pryce Jones, Mail order shopping
1878 David Edward Hughes, the microphone
1886 Isaac Roberts, deep space photography
1896 William Frost, early flying machine
1904 Walter and Tom Davies, the spare tyre
1935 Edward George Bowen, major contribution to the development of radar
1936 -39 David Brunt, the father of modern Meteorology
1948 Aneurin Bevan minister for Health , the National Health Service
1965 Donald Davis, packet switching basis for data communications
1976 Bill Ducie and Tom Parry Jones, electronic breathalyser
2020 Dr Robert Lister, Covid Emergency Ventilator¹

These are just some of the key contributions made by Welsh scientists, philanthropists and social reformers still relevant today. These landmark technologies and ideas, forged a firm foundation for the new business growth and development for which the Swansea area is still famous.

As listed above, the hydrogen fuel cell was invented in 1842 by a Welshman, William Grove, from Swansea. A predecessor to the innovative technologies harboured in this city of groundbreaking technology today. His invention has paved the way for a limitless form of green energy that will power our zero-carbon future.²

green hydrogen transition

Interestingly, the hydrogen fuel concept developed nearly two hundred years ago by a Swansea scientist is going to play a big part in new plans towards a zero carbon future promised by the Paris agreement.

Green hydrogen has been dubbed the new oil. But it’s actually better than that because, “If the electricity for this process comes from renewable resources, electrolysis can create hydrogen fuel without releasing any carbon emissions into the atmosphere, making it genuinely net-zero from a carbon standpoint.” This is “green hydrogen”.³

Hydrogen is the ultimate clean fuel of the future. A fantastic source of power and heat, it reacts cleanly with oxygen to produce energy and a harmless waste product: water. It is also readily available. Hydrogen atoms make up 75% of the entire weight of the universe. To convert hydrogen back into power, you can burn it, or just reverse the electrochemical process using a fuel cell.

All thanks to Welsh engineer and scientist William Grove.

Wales is already on track to generate 70% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. The abundance of wind farms on land and sea, and potential floating farms that harness the power of the wind, waves and tides to turn sea water into hydrogen mean that Swansea is ideally placed to become a key provider of green hydrogen.

Wind Farm

Adjacent to Milford Haven, Britain’s biggest energy port, green hydrogen could be piped along South Wales Industrial Cluster, converting into clean power to heat homes and power cars, buses, trains and aeroplanes.

Hydrogen is also emerging as the fuel of choice for long-range modes of transport like ships, HGV lorries and aircraft. Big transport may, therefore, convert to hydrogen at-scale first, and the technology and refuelling infrastructure can swiftly cascade down into vans, cars, bicycles and drones.

Wales already has a hydrogen car pioneer in Llandrindod Wells-based Riversimple, whose two-seater Rasa model will be operational in 2023, followed by a light commercial van and larger family car production. By 2032, Riversimple projects having a fleet of 180,000 vehicles leased to customers.

And right in the middle of it all, the simplest, lightest and most abundant element in the universe.²

Businesses at Parc Felindre will be growing on the foundation of green energy development from this outstanding location in Swansea, Wales.
Be part of the invention, and innovation towards green business.
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