Case Study - Biofuels for Trigeneration
Sector: Renewable Energy
Biofuels: a win-win-win
Newcastle University is linking up with Chinese partners to make better use of biofuels, which include fuels that are grown as crops. The partners include two Chinese corporations – Angang Group and Sichuan Air Separation Inc. – as well as Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Guangxi University.
The aim is to use biofuels for ‘trigeneration’. This is where a single source simultaneously does three things: generates electricity, provides useful cooling and delivers useful heating.
Novel
A trigeneration system in people’s homes would not only supply their electricity but also power their refrigerators. And heat their water and central heating as well. If there were any surplus electricity, it would be stored using a novel storage system. All this would be achieved with negligible carbon emissions.
The EPSRC, who are providing over half a million pounds of funding for the project, say: “There is substantial potential demand for the system in the UK, China and other parts of the world.”
Collaboration
The project is not only benefiting research links between the UK and China, but also fostering collaboration within the UK. In addition to Newcastle University, other partners include the North East-based National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), the University of Leeds, University of Ulster, and the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics.
Professor Dermot Roddy, who heads up Newcastle University’s Sir Joseph Swan Centre for Energy Research, says: “The trigeneration project illustrates how widely we are now looking at engagement as we respond to societal needs and demands. There are a total of nine partners spread across the UK and China, coming together to pool the critical expertise necessary to bring together all aspects of this challenging project.”
Further information:
- Professor Dermot Roddy
School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials,
C519, Merz Court,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
or contact a Business Development Manager to discuss how to access University expertise.
View our PDF brochure Developing technology for 3rd generation biofuels (PDF: 346KB)
