A £25m cutting-edge technology development centre planned for Hull will put Yorkshire at the forefront of biofuel technology development.
Energy industry giant BP and sustainable science solutions company DuPont have joined forces to form Kingston Research, which will focus on the commercialisation of advanced biofuel technology at a purpose-built development and demonstration facility at BP’s Saltend site near Hull.
Working with regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and UK Trade & Investment the joint venture places the region at the forefront of crucial research and development operations.
Lord Mandelson, the UK Government Business Secretary said: “This will place the UK at the forefront of next generation biofuel development.
“New industries such as low-carbon and renewable technologies have huge potential for driving growth. This is precisely the type of investment project we need attract in order for these industries to thrive in the UK.
“I’m delighted that Hull and East Riding are at the cutting edge of R&D to realise that greener, brighter future.”
Kingston Research Limited General Manager, Luc Van Den Hemel: “Biobutanol is a new lower-carbon fuel and we are excited about demonstrating this technology in the Humberside region. Biobutanol is a biofuel that can be made from all the same crops as bioethanol and can be blended into petrol at higher levels, which means that we’ll be able to introduce biofuels more quickly. In the future, it will be possible to convert bioethanol refineries to produce biobutanol, allowing this industry to make an even larger contribution to meeting the world’s energy needs.”
Yorkshire is already home to the UK’s largest single-line biodiesel production facility and is leading the UK’s bid to build the first coal- fired power station to use carbon capture and storage technology to reduce e C02 emissions. This latest investment will see the region play an increasing role in tackling climate change, in this case advanced biofuels.
The BP site at Hull is also home to Vivergo Fuels, a joint venture between BP, British Sugar and DuPont. Vivergo is constructing a bioethanol facility that will begin producing bioethanol in 2010 and play a major role in meeting the UK’s requirements for biofuels.
