Bioenergy entrepreneurs get £292,000 boost

DECC has announced seven British entrepreneurs who have won a share of £292,000 for innovation in bioenergy. The investment is part of the Government’s £2 million competition launched in October […]

DECC has announced seven British entrepreneurs who have won a share of £292,000 for innovation in bioenergy.

The investment is part of the Government’s £2 million competition launched in October last year aimed specifically at bioenergy production on wetlands.

This includes harvesting and energy generation methods using plants already grown that would otherwise go to waste once harvested.

Statistics from DECC suggest sustainably sourced bioenergy could contribute around 11% of the UK’s total primary energy demand by 2020 but more investment is needed to further drive innovation in the sector.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker, who announced the winners said: “Bioenergy has an important part to play in our energy mix, increasing the amount of power we get from clean green sources. It can help cut carbon and enable us to meet our renewables targets. But more innovation is needed in this sector and that’s what our wetlands biomass to bioenergy scheme is designed to encourage.

“It’s great to see that seven organisations across Great Britain have come forward with exciting and innovative ideas to drive this forward and I wish them every success with the development of their plans.”

Winners for the scheme are AB Systems, Adapt, EcoCZERO, AMW-IBERS, Carbon Compost, Cranfield University and Natural Synergies. Today’s investment will help towards funding the first phase of the scheme and the winners will receive help and guidance from a group of wetland management experts. At the end of the first phase, the panel will decide which firms to put through to the second phase to bid for a share of the remaining £1.7 million to trial project ideas in wetland conditions.

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