West Midlands companies offered opportunity to work with university biochar experts

Companies that want to collaborate on government-backed environmental projects are being urged to contact Aston University’s Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI).

In last month’s budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the government will commit to extend funding for the West Midlands Innovation Accelerator.

The West Midlands Innovation Accelerator was originally announced in the government’s 2022 levelling up white paper.

It was established to boost the region’s engineering research and development and commercial growth by enabling businesses to develop new products, processes and services.

EBRI is leading one of the accelerator’s initiatives and is now looking to work with more organisations.

It runs the Biochar CleanTech Accelerator which uses pyrolysis technology to transform organic material such as sawdust, dried chicken litter and agricultural straw into commercially valuable bioproducts such as biochar, gas and liquids.

The project was established to develop growth potential, targeting export contracts worth over £200 million of low carbon products produced by a regional industrial cluster.

Tim Miller (pictured), EBRI’s government and enterprise engagement manager, said: “When Rachel Reeves announced the extension of the West Midlands Innovation Accelerator we were delighted.

“The Biochar CleanTech Accelerator offers a huge range of possibilities. For example, recently we’ve worked with a Birmingham law firm to make everyday office items from biochar.

“Now we are looking to work with innovative organisations on initiatives such as paints and coatings and low carbon gas for industrial heating. We also want to explore soil conditioners and products for improved plant, tree and animal health and biochar for water treatment and odour control.

“We are working with regional companies to take research out of the lab into commercialisation at scale into domestic and export markets.”

The university’s researchers are currently looking at future developments including advanced filters and nanotechnology products.

The additional government support will be to fund work from 2025 to 2026. To find out more about the Biochar CleanTech Accelerator contact biochar@aston.ac.uk