Aug. 1, 2013 – UK Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced £25 million of capital funding to enable the construction of demonstration-scale waste to fuel and other advanced biofuel plants throughout the UK.
The government will offer the money to the winner of a competition to come up with the most viable demonstration plants to create liquid biofuels from waste material, such as municipal waste and forestry residues, using complex processing techniques. The goal is to produce a wide range of transport fuels including replacements for those used in road transport and aviation.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “I am delighted that we are able to support these innovative technologies and believe that they will bring significant benefits to the UK. There are real opportunities for the UK to take a technological lead, driving growth, creating highly skilled jobs and seeing energy, security and environmental benefits.”
Once the competition is complete, the Department for Transport will then commission a feasibility study on the detailed design including eligibility criteria and funding scheme options, as well as ensuring the project complies with EU State aid rules.
Further details on the competition, including the feasibility study, will be provided later this year, alongside a range of potential measures to support the most sustainable fuels and spur further innovation in this sector.
