Fuel cell pioneer wins £1m
A RUNCORN firm that is pioneering new fuel cell technology has won £1m from the Carbon Trust.
ACAL Energy has been awarded the money by the Government-backed body as part of its Polymer Fuel Cell Challenge, launched to encourage cheaper production of the technology.
ACAL, set up by Dr Andrew Creeth and Amanda Lyne in 2004, has developed a way of making fuel cells which uses 80% less platinum than the conventional method.
Fuel cells are similar to batteries but instead of storing energy they create it from an external source, often hydrogen and oxygen. The use of platinum in existing designs makes them too expensive for mass market production.
According to the Carbon Trust, ACAL’s cheaper technology is on the cusp of making hydrogen fuel cell cars a mass-market reality, contributing to the creation of a global industry estimated to be worth over £180bn by 2050.
“The technology could be the key to the future of low carbon transport – making fuel cell cars the lowest carbon vehicle available and also potentially cheaper to run than plug-in hybrids or battery-only electric vehicles,” said the trust.
Ms Lyne said: “In these tough economic times, the promise of green growth is not just good news; it’s a life line for many organisations. To take advantage of the opportunities endemic in green growth, businesses need to put sustainability at the heart of their strategy. With the support of organisations such as the Carbon Trust, the North West has the key ingredients to thrive in the low carbon economy. We hope to see many other local businesses join us in ensuring the future of the North West’s economic growth.”
ACAL has a string of investors including the Rising Stars Growth Fund (RSGF), NorthStar Equity Investors, Porton Capital, Synergis Technologies, Solvay and an unnamed Japanese corporation.
A survey of 56 North West business people conducted by the Carbon Trust during December and January found a positive mood among “green” entrepreneurs. Some 79% said the number of jobs in the sector will increase, while 77% said exports will also grow.
