Industry News
STFC: A research team led by the University of Bristol has used STFC's ISIS Neutron Source to come up with a new way to treat carbon dioxide (CO2), so that it can be used in efficient & environmentally friendly methods for extracting oil. These new CO2 soluble additives can also be used to reduce the environmental damage caused by every day industrial processes, such as food processing and the manufacture of electronics.
The researchers have developed a soap-like additive for CO2 that turns it into a viable solvent for commercial-scale enhanced oil recovery to increase the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from oil fields. Liquid CO2 is increasingly being used industrially to replace common petrochemical solvents, because it requires less processing and it can be easily recycled.
The difficulty has been that in order to operate effectively as a solvent, carbon dioxide needs additives, many of which are (in themselves) damaging to the environment. This new development by an international team provides a solution. The project has been funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the US Department of Energy.
STFC: A new UK company set to transform the use of terahertz electronics for applications in security imaging, telecommunications & cancer detection has won a prize in the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Business Plan Competition 2010.
Teratech Components Ltd, a recent spinout from STFC, will use the £10,000 prize towards kick-starting the company's business to exploit the commercial applications of terahertz electronics - engaging with industry and new markets outside of the traditional space sector.
Terahertz (THz) applications span the physical (security imaging), biological (cell formation) and medical (cancerous tumour detection) sciences with a growing interest in the application of THz frequencies to security imaging through clothing in airport scanners and to non-destructive pharmaceutical & manufacturing inspection through multilayered or opaque surfaces.
WAG: First Minister Carwyn Jones has visited a company in the Swansea Valley which has benefited from Welsh Assembly Government funding to help them through the recession. Eurogrind, a tool manufacturing company based in Pontardawe, received funding through the ProAct scheme to upskill their staff. ProAct, which is backed by the European Social Fund, was designed to help companies through the economic downturn by providing financial support to increase the skills levels of the workforce.
ScotGov: First Minister Alex Salmond last week officially opened the new offices of wave energy developer Aquamarine Power as the company took a major step towards the commercialisation of their Oyster technology with the announcement of £11m new investment in the company.
EA: Inspiring organisations leading the way in environmental performance in the UK were honoured on 24th November 2010 at the Environment Agency’s inaugural Environmental Pioneer Awards. See press release for links to winners
