Technology Summary

The context for this innovative proposal is the importance and urgency of decarbonising our energy and transport systems and the availability of our early implementable solution. The acknowledgement of urgently halting climate change coincides with the availability of a range of cost effective, low risk, technical solutions such as those we have developed in this project. Having accepted that the world must take measures, it is essential that we decarbonise our energy supply and transport systems. The latter are predominantly fossil fuel based with the majority of the UK’s energy demand being met by electricity and gas. Gas is by far the larger energy source, averaging two and a half times the usage of electricity and over four times more than the use of electricity in peak times. GGLS has focussed its efforts on developing the means to collect, store and transport renewable energy having converted this into gaseous or liquid forms of gas such as biomethane, hydrogen and nitrogen wherever and whenever it is needed. The objective during Phase One established the time, performance and cost parameters of an innovative lightweight composite tank design in order to enable the accelerated realisation of a cost effective, efficient and scalable approach and infrastructure model to decarbonising the world’s energy and transport systems.

The technical and business feasibility study established: that the lightweight composite tanks will contribute to the early realisation of an implementable, saleable solution; where the knowledge lies; who are our most appropriate partners; what are the risks, remedies and costs.

The main results achieved. GGLS have established that there is a lucrative market for SMEs, particularly around a solution that uses a Van rather than an HGV. This is a constructively disruptive initiative. Presently gas distribution is exclusive to International plc such as Shell or BOC. Our survey found acceptance of the business benefits of continuous supply of gas based on tank exchange. Great costs, time consuming delays and H&S issues are incurred whenever gas is pumped from one container to another. GGLS learnt that the profitability can be increased by changing the guide design of the lightweight tanks so they can use any standard Shipping Line containers. Finally this feasibility study has proved GGLS’s solution is worth pursuing with the likelihood of establishing a very profitable business and creating a minimum of 35 additional jobs locally.