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There are a number of prospective, more advanced technologies that have the potential to deliver sustainable, low-carbon biofuels. These technologies are likely to be expensive and challenging to develop, and the Carbon Trust is launching a compound Research Accelerator to dramatically increase the rate at which they will enter the market. We believe that the UK has the skills to compete on the world stage in this area, but this will rely on engaging with latent capability to attract world-class researchers not currently working in the bioenergy area.
Strand A:
Pyrolysis oil could be used to produce low-cost, liquid fuels with a low whole-system carbon emission footprint, if they can be integrated into a conventional refinery. However, the properties of the pyrolysis oil produced from current fast pyrolysis processes are not suitable for direct integration. Strand A has the objective of producing a pyrolysis oil with the properties required for integration through either:
a) Modifying the pyrolysis process to produce a better quality oil directly or
b) Upgrading the oil before or at the refinery.
We intend to achieve this by launching The Pyrolysis Challenge to build innovative partnerships between leading academic groups, high technology SMEs and industrial companies. Our analysis has indicates that the UK has the capabilities to take the lead in this technology, provided that we can successfully create and align multi-disciplinary teams and leverage some of the considerable latent capability in relevant related disciplines.
Our call for expressions of interest for a Directed Research project closes on 14 April 2008. please register your interest in submitting by the 25th March 2008; we intend to attract leading academic groups, high technology SMEs and industrial companies to tackle this challenge. Information on our call for Expressions of Interest can be found here.
Strand B:
A focused, Applied Research style call for proposals in Algal Bioenergy Systems –where we would expect to co- support in of the order of 3 - 4 projects at around £500k each to pursue a range of approaches in this emerging area. Further details on our event on 23 April 2008, in London can be found here, as well as further information.
Strand C:
We will aim to undertake an engagement process in Advanced Novel Biofuels. Studies prepping for this are in progress and we will expect to call for action in quarter four 2008/9.
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