North based businesses with big ideas for tackling climate change win £40,000 prizes

Two businesses, based in Dundee and Blyth, with big ideas for tackling climate change have each won Shell Springboard awards of £40,000.

Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd, a start-up company from the University of Dundee which is developing an ultra low emissions motor engine expected to be up to 25% more efficient and reduce CO2 emissions by a similar amount and The Aerogenerator Project, based in Blyth, which designs novel wind powered, electrical generation hardware, both received their awards at a ceremony in Edinburgh on the 12^th of February 2008.

Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd, the company behind the technology known as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), believes it is the stepping stone between present motor engines and the awaited hydrogen and fuel cell technologies of the future. 

The Aerogenerator Project aims are to tackle climate change its novel wind turbine design will challenge the current market leader – horizontal axis or ‘propeller on stick’ technology - which is reaching its development limit due to scale up issues and suitability for installation offshore.

David Tonery, Managing Director of Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd, said, “Winning this Shell Springboard award is fantastic.  The money will be used to protect the intellectual property we already have on the idea, to continue to develop our work and prepare us for the next stage for a pre-production prototype.

“We are in a gap funding stage and this award helps fill that monetary gap and will help leverage a larger amount of investment.  It will also allow us an opportunity to attract larger companies to create a larger collaboratory project which is a key to our success.”

Theo Bird from The Aerogenerator Project said, “We are honoured to win a Shell Springboard award as the competition was excellent.  We will invest the money in a feasibility study by an independent engineering consultancy to add credibility [to the project] and in turn creates good investment confidence which supports our investment process at NAREC in Blyth.

“Our technology is far more environmentally friendly than current technology, particularly offshore.”

Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd and The Aerogenerator Project competed against four other businesses from across the North region on 12^th February 2008 in Edinburgh. 

Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd will now compete to be named as the UK winner in London on the 4^th of March.

Thropton Energy, also from the north east of England, was highly commended by the panel of judges for its Garman water current turbine.  It was initially designed for irrigation and water supply to family and community run farms on the banks of the Nile in Sudan but is now being adapted for electricity generation to provide carbon neutral power.

Shell Springboard provides a financial boost to a small number of UK businesses that submit the most compelling plan for a product or service which:

·         Will lead to greenhouse gas reductions

·         Is commercially viable, and

·         Is innovative

Last year awards of £40,000 were made to eight businesses drawn from across the UK.

Judging of the six regional finalists was carried out by a panel of independent experts who were looking for ideas that not only had potential to break new ground but also had sound financial planning and market insight.

The Shell Springboard programme hopes to encourage small and medium sized businesses to see that climate change is a huge opportunity.

James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK said, "Research carried out for Shell shows that the commercial opportunity for UK businesses with big ideas to tackle climate change could amount to many billions of pounds over the coming years.  Shell Springboard aims to encourage and reward companies with those innovative ideas that are both good for the environment and good for business.  Congratulations to Oxy-Gen Combustion Ltd and The Aerogenerator Project."