Advanced Plasma Power (APP), the advanced waste to energy and fuels company, National Grid (NG), Progressive Energy (PEL) and CNG Services (CNG) are one of six consortia that have been shortlisted to receive funding to demonstrate the scaled up production of transport fuels from non-food waste biomass.
The projects will represent a significant move towards realising the UK’s 10% renewable commitment in transport fuels by 2020 and the advanced biofuels target currently under discussion in the European Parliament.
APP is leading the consortium which is bidding for funding for the construction of a plant that will use residual waste biomass to produce more than one million kilograms per annum of compressed biomethane, a low carbon fuel for heavy goods and passenger vehicles. Under the £25m Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition the Department for Transport aims to support the construction of up to 3 demonstration biofuel plants, the first of their kind in the UK.
The process is exploiting residual waste, the UK’s largest source of sustainable biomass, to generate a fuel that can be used interchangeably with natural gas. Gas powered vehicles already offer significant potential for carbon and other emission reductions over their diesel counterparts and are well placed to achieve widespread adoption in the UK’s transport sector for several reasons.
Firstly, only very little investment in infrastructure is required to realise the commercial and environmental benefits and secondly, other options for substantial emission reductions in this sector are limited. Existing diesel vehicles can be readily converted to use natural gas on a dual-fuel basis and new, highly efficient dedicated gas powered vehicles, at comparable prices to diesel vehicles, are entering the market. Many transport operators such as Stagecoach, John Lewis and Howard Tenens have already begun the evolution to gas powered vehicles. If successful, APP will begin construction in 2016 and the plant will commence operations in 2017.
Rolf Stein, chief executive of Advanced Plasma Power said, “The generation of biomethane from abundant waste resources offers significant potential for further emission reductions augmenting the already compelling environmental and commercial case for shifting to gas powered vehicles. Our seven years of operating experience and the results of test work at the current plant in Swindon give us a high degree of confidence in our solution and that the plant can be delivered on time and on budget.”
David Parkin Head of Network Strategy in National Grid’s Gas Distribution business said:
“We are delighted to be actively involved in this project, it provides a great opportunity to provide a practical low carbon solution that will add real value for our customers. BioSNG can be injected into the UK’s existing gas distribution infrastructure and that means it presents a low carbon solution without any disruption to end users. It’s definitely a game-changer for the future of energy”
Chris Manson-Whitton, a Director at Progressive Energy said, “Establishing conversion of biomass-rich residual waste into low carbon fuels is a vital tool in tackling emissions. This exciting project demonstrates the full ‘waste-to-wheels’ process, fuelling operating vehicles in the short term, as well as providing the basis for widespread commercial deployment.”
About Advanced Plasma Power Ltd.
Advanced Plasma Power Limited (APP) is a world leader in advanced waste to energy and fuels technology. APP is revolutionising the way in which we treat waste sustainably by maximising the value from it as a source of materials and energy while minimising the impact of waste on the environment. APP has developed the Gasplasma® process, a clean, modular and scalable advanced waste to energy and fuels technology which delivers high efficiencies whilst minimising visual and environmental impact. The Gasplasma® process is an innovative combination of two well-established technologies – gasification and plasma treatment, both of which have decades of proven commercial operation.
For more information, contact:
Bethan Halls
The Communication Group plc
T: 020 7630 1411
E: bhalls@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk
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