INDUSTRY NEWS WASTE TO HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY SECURES OVER £4.4M FUNDING


KEW Technology has secured over £4.4m of funding to take its successful research into waste-to-hydrogen technology solutions into ‘real-world’ demonstration at its Sustainable Energy Centre facility in the West Midlands, UK. The award from the Department for Energy


Security & Net Zero’s Hydrogen BECCS (Bio- Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage) Innovation Programme will see the retro-fit of KEW’s existing advanced gasification plant with a new add-on technology solution to separate


hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Following KEW’s analysis and conclusions from


Phase l of the programme, which saw it explore five technology options for separation, Pressurised Water Absorption (PWA) was chosen as the best low- carbon, efficient solution, to produce high-purity hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles. Kevin Chown, COO of KEW Technology, said: “PWA was chosen as the best solution to take forward


for its greater energy efficiency compared to available technology on the market. Others need thermal energy and combustion of a substantial proportion of the energy produced unless a waste heat source is locally available. “With PWA systems utilising only water (retained


and recycled) not continuous consumption, it offers lower environmental impact and risk than the use of chemical solvents.” KEW’s technological solution H2 BECCS only


uses end of life waste or low-grade biomass as the feedstock to produce syngas and subsequently hydrogen. An independent assessment of its greenhouse gas emissions has overall capture savings of over 25,000


tonnes a year of CO2 module producing over 1,000 tonnes a year of transport-grade hydrogen at fuel cell vehicle purity of 99.7% per the ISO standard. Chown added: “We’re thrilled to have been


awarded further funding and strongly believe that SSE LAUNCHES GREATER MANCHESTER HUB TO DRIVE GREEN INVESTMENT


SSE Energy Solutions is to create a new business hub in Manchester to deliver innovative energy projects, skilled jobs and training opportunities for local communities. Greater Manchester is the first of several regional hubs the company plans to launch across the UK. SSE is already working closely with the Greater Manchester Combined


Authority and its Mayor, Andy Burnham, to help it achieve its target of being a Net Zero city by 2038. Critical to that mission is the speedy roll-out of EV charging infrastructure. SSE is also developing a ground source heating system for a large public


facing venue in Manchester city centre as well as having recently installed a state-of-the-art Buildings Energy Management System at Bridgewater Hall. The company has opened a new office in Manchester and is forging


close relationships with local organisations and charities to diversify and upskill its workforce. It is also forging relationships with the city’s Green Skills Academy, the Growth Company’s centre for green technologies, and a


COMMENT W


elcome to the Summer issue of Energy & Sustainability Solutions. The Summer is a key time for many to start thinking about


how they will be heating their buildings over the Winter months, and perhaps considering ways to heat more efficiently while reducing energy bills. But while the government has introduced plans, such as the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator, some people are now questioning why heat pumps are being given priority over other heating solutions.


Heat pumps offer many benefits, however they are not right for all


buildings and budgets, as Oliver Baker from Ambion Heating explains on page 33. He says: “With traditional systems failing to ensure the whole home is adequately and efficiently heated, and options like heat pumps considered unsuitable or impractical for smaller spaces, developers, contractors and installers are looking for alternative heating solutions.” Johan du Plessis, founder and CEO of tepeo, adds to this (see page 35),


saying: “The UK government’s approach to decarbonisation must therefore be more inclusive, providing all relevant low-carbon domestic heating technologies with the same access to government initiatives.” With the ban on gas and oil boilers looming, is it time for other


forms of low-carbon, energy efficient heating, to also be included in government incentives?


Rachael Morling - Editor


number of higher education bodies through the GM Higher collaborative network. A ‘Skills Summit’ is planned for later in the year. In addition, SSE is a founding partner of Greater Manchester’s Energy


Innovation Agency which supports around 40 individuals and companies working in areas such as smart building technology, energy efficiency, and EV charging infrastructure, to commercialise and deploy their innovations. It has also secured funding for two projects: one with the University of Salford on future Net Zero homes; and another focussing on creating a series of real-world demonstrators for low carbon innovations in the non-domestic building sector. Neil Kirkby, managing director of Enterprise at SSE Energy Solutions, said:


“At SSE, we want to make a difference in each of these areas by ensuring we invest in the communities we work in. By creating regional hubs across the country and bringing green jobs to the areas where we are building energy infrastructure, we’re able to demonstrate our commitment to communities right across the UK.”


ENFINIUM CREATES ‘DIGITAL TWINS’ OF ITS FACILITIES


Energy-from-waste company, enfinium, has created ‘digital twins’ of its facilities. In a UK-first for its sector, enfinium has partnered with Vertex Industrie, a pioneer of 3D manufacturing visualisation technology, with the aim of having the most reliable facilities in the energy-from-waste sector. enfinium engineers now have easy


access to interactive 3D information that is enhancing productivity, and reducing unplanned downtime costs. Using virtual reality headsets, the experience is immersive, placing the wearer ‘inside’ enfinium’s vast boilers to better understand its state and maintenance needs. Enhanced performance at enfinium facilities is critical for ensuring that it can provide reliable homegrown energy. https://enfinium.co.uk/


4 ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Summer 2023 NEWS IN BRIEF


Switch2 Energy has published a free guide to provide operators with real-time tips and advice on improving the efficiency of communal heating schemes – assisting them to tackle the triple challenge of cost, carbon and compliance. The heat network efficiency guide


explains the 3 steps operators can take to maximise performance of the UK’s 17,500 existing schemes, many of which perform at low efficiency levels. https://switch2.co.uk


Eaton has launched new Building Energy Management Software that will help building owners reduce the cost of electric vehicle charging with solar power. Building managers, facilities managers and fleet managers can use the software, even in a relatively small building, to manage renewable energy strategically and charge electric vehicles as cheaply and sustainably as possible. www.eaton.com


the proposed solution with its innovative separation technology that reduces energy consumption and avoids the use of chemicals will achieve very effective energy performances. This will significantly improve the cost-effectiveness of producing hydrogen from non-recyclable wastes or biomass. https://kew-tech.com/


www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk


www.essmag.co.uk


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