Minister opens zero emission tech research centre
Engineering firm claims Croydon centre is ‘world’s first’ dedicated clean cold and power technology research and development facility
UK engineering firm Dearman has opened a research and development facility in South London, which it says will focus on the delivery of “a range of zero-emission cold and power technologies”.
The Minister of State for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson (fourth from left), at the official opening of Dearman’s new research facility in Croydon
Officially opened by Minister for Universities and Science, Jo Johnson MP, the company claims the new Croydon research and development facility is the ‘first’ of its kind in the world.
Based in London, Dearman uses liquid nitrogen to produce ‘zero-emission’ clean refrigeration and power, and the new facility will be used to further develop technology including its auxiliary power units and liquid heat hybrid systems for buses and heavy goods vehicles.
More than 40 staff, largely engineers and technicians, will be housed at the Croydon centre, although Dearman also expects to expand its activities and workforce at the facility in future.
Speaking at the opening, Mr Johnson MP said: “From an invention designed and built in the lab to this impressive technology centre, Dearman is one of the great success stories that gives the UK its reputation for driving innovation. I want to continue to make the UK the best place in Europe to innovate and grow a business and this new facility is a strong sign of the progress we are making to achieve this goal.”
Dearman has long been lobbying for action to address diesel pollution from transport refrigeration units used in delivery trucks and vans to keep food and other produce cool, arguing that technologies such as its own should be more widely used in future.
In July 2015, the company described lorry refrigeration as a “hidden polluter”, claiming that such delivery vehicles emit 163 tonnes of nitrogen oxide onto London streets each year (see AirQualityNews.com story).
Toby Peters, chief executive of Dearman said: ““Just over three years ago Dearman and clean cold were nothing more than ideas. Today we are a company of more than 50 hugely talented people, we have our own bespoke facility, we have made huge strides in developing our technology and our first application will begin real-world deployment soon.
“With the rapidly increasing global demand for cold and cooling of all types, especially in the rapidly emerging and developing economies, our vision is to create and supply revolutionary clean cold and power systems that deliver strong environmental benefits and are equally commercially attractive. I am very proud to say that our vision of clean cold and power came one step closer to becoming a reality.”