£25m competition launched for advanced biofuels demonstration plants
Thu 11 December 2014
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The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a £25m competition to support the development of a domestic biofuels industry in the UK. The competition will provide capital funding for three demonstration-scale advanced biofuel plants. The projects will be selected through a competitive process, with funding provided over a three-year period, beginning in 2015.
The funding which was first announced last year, would be underpinned by significant private sector investment enabling the construction of three demonstration biofuels plants, the first of their kind in the UK. The investments should allow for the potential production of a wide range of transport fuels for both road transport and aviation.
A successful bid must show that its product would produce 60 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than fossil fuels. It should also produce approximately one million litres of biofuel per year, and be fully operational by December 2018.
For the first phase, expressions of interest applications are due 13 February 2015. The review panel is expected to approve up to five projects that will be allowed to proceed to Phase 2. Applications for Phase 2 owill be due 12 June 2015 with grants expected to be awarded for up to three projects.
Announcing the competition Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: “This government is helping the transition to greener, cleaner fuel. Advanced biofuels will play an increasingly important role in lowering carbon emissions from transport and these fuel plants will help ensure the UK is leading the way in building our capacity. This country has world-class research capabilities and I want the development of green technology to be part of this success story. This will not only benefit the environment but boost investment in Britain.”
Ricardo-AEA and E4tech have been selected as the Department for Transport’s delivery partners to run the competition.A prospective bidders event will be held in London at 2pm on 14th January 2015. Registering interest to attend can be done via the scheme website www.ricardo-aea.com/cms/advanced-biofuels-comp or by emailing advancedbiofuelscomp@ricardo-aea.com by 9th January 2015.
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