Lontra-led consortium wins Innovate UK energy grant

Two-year project will apply Lontra’s Blade Compressor as a turbo compounding technology to increase the fuel efficiency of the engine used for 1MW power generation.

Innovate UK has awarded a £1.5 million Energy Catalyst grant to a consortium led by Midlands-based Lontra.

The two-year project will apply Lontra’s Blade Compressor as a turbo compounding technology to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs.

The consortium also includes: 2020 Power Generation (2PG), Integral Powertrain (IP), and Nottingham University. It will aim to increase the fuel efficiency of the 2PG engine used for 1MW power generation – the most common size of generator used for applications ranging from data centres to manufacturing plants.

The grant provides full funding to take the technology from concept through to hardware and testing stages.

Steve Lindsey, chief executive and founder of Lontra, said: “Leading the consortium is a first for Lontra and marks significant progress in the development of the Blade Compressor.

“It is a huge opportunity for Lontra to take the lead on new innovations within the engineering sector to harness the global market and the huge energy savings our product offers.”

Peter Dirken from Innovate UK added: “Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst grant is designed to back the most innovative solutions to develop sustainable energy technology.

“As a UK-based consortium, Lontra and partners of the project are powering forward to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs. The investment in homegrown innovations bolsters the UK’s competitive edge on a global scale,” Dirken added.