On 29 April 2026 (Wednesday), Elena Kniazeva, our Senior Programme Manager for Critical Technologies, attended the SPEERI Collaboration Forum: Robotics for Energy Innovation in Aberdeen, held at the Net Zero Technology Centre. 

The event brought together a strong mix of academic and industry stakeholders to explore the role of robotics in the energy sector, with a particular focus on innovation, collaboration, and capability development. The programme included a research capability showcase from the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University, alongside industry perspectives and funding insights from organisations such as Innovate UK, Fugro, and Frontier Robotics.  

Elena represented the critical technologies community, highlighting its importance as a key enabler within supply chains for both the energy and robotics sectors. Throughout the event, critical technologies such as fibre communications, sensing, and photonics were consistently recognised as essential components underpinning advanced energy/robotics applications. 

The facilitated discussions and collaboration sessions focused on aligning capabilities and identifying pathways to deliver impactful products and services. During these conversations, several important needs and opportunities were mentioned by participants: 

  • A clear demand for sensor packaging capabilities, representing a strong opportunity for Scotland's manufacturing base  
  • Growing interest in advanced materials, including metamaterials and silicon carbide (SiC)  
  • The importance of testing and validation infrastructure to support deployment in real-world energy environments  

There was also strong and consistent discussion around the importance of building resilient local supply chains, with a shared ambition to reduce reliance on international suppliers and strengthen domestic capability. 

Collaboration emerged as a central theme, both across markets (e.g. energy, robotics, and critical technologies) and between academia and industry, with participants recognising that closer integration will be essential to accelerate innovation and commercialisation. 

Overall, the event highlighted the strategic role that Scotland's critical technologies ecosystem can play in supporting the future of robotics in energy, while also reinforcing the need for coordinated investment, infrastructure development, and industry-aligned innovation.