Transport minister Andrew Jones (pictured) yesterday (7 September 2015) revealed the successful projects, all of which will transform waste products – from whisky, forestry and household goods – into transport biofuels, for trucks, buses, vans and cars.
The winning companies are Edinburgh-based Celtic Renewables, Advanced Plasma Power, in Swindon, and Nova Pangaea Technologies, in Tees Valley.
Celtic Renewables has been awarded £11 million to fund a new plant to make biofuels from Scotch whisky by-products, with plans to open a further three commercial plants across Scotland in the future.
Advanced Plasma Power will also receive £11 million to help develop biofuels from household waste.
And Nova Pangaea Technologies is to get £3 million to help produce biofuels from forestry waste.
Jones expects the three organisations together to generate more than 5,000 new jobs by 2030, open up international markets and promote renewable energy.
“Biofuels have an important role to play in keeping Britain moving forward in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way,” states Jones.
“This £25 million is not only a vital investment in technology that will help secure a greener future, but will also support the creation of thousands of jobs.”
And he adds that the new generation of biofuels have the potential to save “at least 60%” of the greenhouse gas emissions from the equivalent fossil fuel.
The UK government competition was introduced to overcome barriers to investment by offering matched funding to support the construction of pre-commercial scale demonstration plants in the UK.