UK Energy Minister visits Midlothian Innovation Centre

New Park had the pleasure of hosting a visit by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, to Midlothian Innovation Centre (MIC) on the 5th of March 2010. The Minister was accompanied on his visit by his Parliamentary Private Secretary and local Midlothian MP, David Hamilton who is also Chairman of MIC.

During the visit, the Minister was introduced to two of MIC's renewable energy companies, Reactor Technologies and AlbaTERN. Reactor Technologies' presented their planned development and manufacture of fast thermal biomass reactors, adopting innovative pyrolysis technology, producing thermal energy and activated carbon/biochar as a bi-product to the Minister. With the assistance of investor funds, a SMART Award and significant technical assistance from both Strathclyde and Napier Universities, Reactor Technologies has successfully developed prototype reactors and has now manufactured the first demonstration unit which is being installed to support a new district heating scheme at Midlothian Innovation Centre. The Minister was also shown AlbaTERN's novel wave device which is currently in trials in the North of Scotland.

Ed Miliband with Dan Morgan (Reactor Technologies)	John Findlay, Callum Findlay (AlbaTERN) with Ed Miliband and David Hamilton

New Park presented to the Minister a major new initiative to locate, finance, develop and operate 100MW of Biomass CHP energy projects throughout Scotland. In particular, New Park highlighted a potential renewable energy development in Midlothian which could involve the integration of a number of different technologies including Biomass CHP, waste to energy and the harvesting of geothermal heat for a district heating scheme. The Minister acknowledged the innovative approach being taken by New Park and their partner Invicta Capital and was supportive of the sustainable nature of the planned developments.