New centre will aid research into thermal technologies

The first in the UK, the facility will pioneer new ways of turning materials such as biomass into high grade fuels and energy. It has been launched in collaboration with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI). The centre's director, Gareth Fletcher, commented: "The Thermal Technologies Centre is an exciting new development which will contribute to the strengthening of the UK's competitiveness by supporting the development of new products and processes, and enabling the translation of innovation into commercial activity. "It will permit the thermal processing industries to increase manufacturing efficiency, reduce energy consumption, lower reliance on raw materials and support the development of the UK's low carbon economy." The facility currently offers two demonstration scale assets: a multi-mode gasifier and a batch pyrolyser. These enable the processing of biomass or other alternative feedstocks, as well as end of use materials, to produce energy and low carbon fuels. These assets are supported by laboratory scale facilities, as well as a comprehensive analytical capability.