“We’re creating magnets that contain plasma at 100 million degrees – ten times hotter than the sun. But we can’t get reliable power supply to run them 24/7.” This disconnect between world-leading innovation and basic infrastructure constraints defined November’s Oxfordshire Innovation Showcase at Westminster.
The second event in the series, jointly organised by Advanced Oxford and Oxfordshire County Council and hosted by Olly Glover MP, brought together over 100 attendees to demonstrate Oxfordshire’s manufacturing strengths. Speakers from Polar Technology, BMW Group Plant Oxford and Tokamak Energy showcased capability spanning composites, automotive electrification, fusion and high-temperature superconductors – evidence that the county is producing technologies and components with genuine global impact, not just conducting research.
But the session also exposed the barriers now blocking expansion. Polar Technology highlighted a telling irony: whilst supplying crucial components for transport electrification, they cannot install EV chargers for their own employees due to insufficient power supply. Their recruitment is hampered by transport access – when graduates at exhibitions say they don’t drive, the reality is “there’s no way you can work for us”. BMW Plant Oxford faces energy costs 30% higher than Germany and three times higher than the US, alongside regulatory uncertainty around the ZEV mandate that is “costing eye-watering amounts” even whilst they meet its requirements.
For Tokamak Energy, the issue extends beyond capacity to quality. Power disruptions could destroy months of experimental work on their high-temperature superconductor systems. As Head of Magnetics Liam Brennan put it: “I need space and I need utilities. Without quality power supply, I have to install expensive safeguards just to protect what we’ve already built.”
The starkest example came from Harwell Campus. When they applied for additional power capacity to support campus growth, they received a quote of £35 million with delivery in 2037. Their response? Build their own smart grid, operational early 2025. Managing Director Jim Stretton was clear: “We can’t wait more than a decade to grow. Our customers cannot wait.”
Olly Glover MP closed by emphasising the need for infrastructure investment, regulatory stability, and continued dialogue between industry and government. The message to parliamentarians was direct: Oxfordshire doesn’t need help to innovate – it needs obstacles removed so innovation can scale.
Advanced Oxford is taking forward the insights and evidence gathered to inform our ongoing policy work. Planning is now underway for the third Oxfordshire Innovation Showcase in spring 2026, which will focus on the Life Sciences sector.
