Agreement to develop second generation biofuel with Chinese consortium

Article Type: Aerospace world From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 80, Issue 6

Napier University, in Scotland’s capital City Edinburgh, has signed an agreement with Chinese consortium Breeze Global Inc. This will form the basis of a partnership to further the development of second-generation biofuel from waste products.

Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Joan Stringer and Dr Martin Tangney,director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Napier University have been involved in talks with Dr Hong-Hoi Ting from Breeze Global Inc. during their visit to China this week.

The Biofuel Research Centre, launched at Napier University several months ago, is committed to researching and developing second-generation biofuel from a potentially diverse range of non-food crops and waste matter.

As an expert in the biological production of butanol, Dr Tangney has already secured £500,000 in research funding to study biofuel and has established the centre to act as a portal between industry, government, academia and the public; giving accurate and consistent messages across all relevant parties.

Dr Tangney said: “This agreement with Breeze Global Inc. is testament to the excellent headway we’re making in our research at the Biofuel Research Centre at Napier. Breeze Global Inc. is a newly formed company which will focus in the development and commercialisation of environmental projects related to biofuel and biodegradable materials.”

“This collaboration will focus on working closely with local partners in the research and development of new technologies and microbial strains related to the biological processing of local biowastes for production of biofuel.”

Whilst in China, Dr Tangney also took part in the British Council’s 60th anniversary dialogue series. He spoke in a discussion on the status of traditional energy sources and also looking at the exploration of new biofuel.

Professor Joan Stringer, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Napier University,said: “Sustainability is a hugely relevant issue and one of Napier’s highest priorities. Our Biofuel Research Centre not only shows our commitment to this, but also our dedication to leading new areas of research, in line with our vision of being one of the UK’s best modern universities.”