Nottingham Alumni Secure £1.5m Funding for Biofuel Cell
A group of alumni from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering has achieved a significant milestone in their quest to revolutionise the food and beverage industry by reducing its carbon emissions.
The team, known as Pipeline Organics, has secured £1.5 million in funding to advance the development of a next-generation biofuel cell (BFC).
This cutting-edge device, designed to harness liquid organic waste, promises to generate clean electricity that can be directly fed into on-site equipment, such as bottling lines or battery storage systems, thereby decarbonising one of the world’s most emissions-intensive industries.
The novel biofuel cell developed by Pipeline Organics stands out due to its combination of advanced coating, design, and manufacturing techniques. These innovations have led to the creation of highly efficient electrodes that allow the BFC to produce more electricity per unit volume than traditional biofuel cells.
Additionally, unlike other renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, which depend on environmental conditions, Pipeline Organics’ BFC offers a resilient, year-round energy solution.
Impressively, the BFC’s operation is independent of weather, relying instead on the consistent supply of organic waste from the customer, making it a reliable energy source for continuous industrial operations.
The food and beverage industry, which Pipeline Organics is primarily targeting, is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for approximately 25-30% of the world’s annual emissions.
In 2019 alone, the industry was estimated to have produced 158 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e), according to the Food and Drink Federation. By generating electricity through a zero-carbon biological process, Pipeline Organics’ BFC offers the potential to significantly reduce these emissions.
In addition to environmental benefits, the technology is also expected to reduce energy costs for companies by decreasing their reliance on the National Grid, thereby lowering energy bills.
Pipeline Organics’ journey began during the YES20 competition hosted by the University of Nottingham, where the team first conceptualised an earlier version of the BFC technology. Their innovative approach led them to win the competition in April 2021, providing the initial momentum to further develop their idea.
The team’s success continued in 2023 when they won the prestigious Ingenuity Competition, also hosted by the Haydn Green Institute for Entrepreneurship at the University of Nottingham. The ongoing support and recognition from these competitions have been crucial in helping the team refine their technology and build a strong foundation for their company.
The product developed by Pipeline Organics is a result of the unique technical insights of its co-founders. One of the co-founders brought their expertise in fuel cell technology and coating chemistry to the table, while another co-founder contributed their knowledge of computational modelling and manufacturing design.
This collaboration has resulted in a biofuel cell that not only excels in efficiency but also holds the promise of scaling to industrial levels – a first for this type of technology.
In 2024, after developing a successful benchtop prototype with prior funding from various competitions and an Innovate UK grant, Pipeline Organics secured an additional £1.5 million in funding.
This includes a £630,000 grant from Innovate UK, a key supporter of the project. The new funding will enable the company to create and test a feasibility prototype that can operate in real industry wastewater conditions. This prototype will be crucial in demonstrating the BFC’s commercial viability and is expected to lead to a market-ready product within the next 18 to 24 months.
The co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Pipeline Organics emphasised the importance of Innovate UK’s funding, describing it as a critical piece of the puzzle that will allow the company to fund the expensive research and development needed for their part metal, part biological hardware.
They went on to express further that this support will also enable Pipeline Organics to access networks of innovation-focused and deeptech investors, which are essential for the further growth and scaling of their technology.
As they move forward, Pipeline Organics plans to conduct operational studies to gather data on the performance of their biofuel cell in real-world conditions. This data will objectively demonstrate the value of their product to potential customers, highlighting the benefits in terms of electricity generation, cost savings, and carbon reductions.
Furthermore, the team is optimistic that these studies will help secure a few early adopters who will purchase their ‘beta product’ and serve as champions for further funding and early industry adoption.
In conclusion, Pipeline Organics’ next-generation biofuel cell represents a transformative advancement in the quest to decarbonise the food and beverage industry. By turning organic waste into a reliable and sustainable energy source, this innovative technology not only promises to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs but also provides a dependable, weather-independent energy solution.
With robust support from Innovate UK and a team of dedicated University of Nottingham alumni, Pipeline Organics is poised to bring this groundbreaking technology to market, offering a promising solution to one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
News Credits: University of Nottingham engineering alumni secure funding for device lowering food & beverage industry emissions
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