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... of the best paper of a
mature nature published by the Institution of Chemical Engineers during the year.
The paper, authored by Dimitri Mignard and Colin Pritchard, focuses "On the use of electrolytic hydrogen from variable renewable energies
for the enhanced conversion of biomass to fuels". It was published in Chemical Engineerinng Research and Design, Vol. 86(5), pp. 473-487. The paper examines in some detail a process for producing transport fuels from biomass in a much more efficient manner, by co-utilising wind or marine power. Typically, it is expected to produce twice as much fuel from the same amount of biomass, and thus avoids wasting half of the carbon content of the biomass (which would otherwise be
emitted as CO2 during production).
Lord Moulton, after whom the prize is named, is associated with the development of chemical engineering during the 1914-18 war when he took charge of explosives supply. The Great War was supposed to be "la der des der" - "the last of the last", in French vernacular. Not only it wasn't, but the games currently being played by many governments for the control of essential commodities is reminiscent in some ways of the striving for colonies that besotted European powers in the run-up to the First World War. At a time when access to limited resources is still associated with conflit and absurd human misery, it is a good thing that the chemical engineering community now turns its attention to the utilisation of more sustainable and locally available energy resources. The recognition by the Institution of Chemical Engineers of the importance of this work means that much to us."
March 2009
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