WORLD-LEADING technology is being developed in the North-East to dry two of the key biofuels in a move which could be significant in the continued growth of the industry.

Zeosol (ZSL) is looking to become the world’s main dryer of ethanol and butanol, two of the key biofuels, by removing the water content to make them more pure and effective.

A pilot plant is to be built at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Wilton, on Teesside, to help develop this technology further before it is taken to market.

ZSL plans to build plants for other companies, including the world’s major grain growers and biofuel blenders, which would be capable of drying between 25,000 and 100,000 tonnes each year.

The water which is removed from the fuels will then be sold into the semi-conductor industry for reuse.

Biofuel production – and demand – is growing significantly, as the popularity of alternative fuel soars.

Production in the US alone soared 18-fold from 25 million gallons in 2004 to 450 million in 2007.

And it comes as the second boost for the Wilton site, formerly part of ICI, in a few days, after it was announced a £12m industrial biotechnology facility to pioneer new lowcarbon techniques is to be built on the site.

Wilton, and the Teesside process and chemical sector, has been under pressure recently by the closures of the Dow and Croda plants, as well as the closure of the nearby Elementis plant, and doubts over the future of the Petroplus refinery.

Graham Bratton, who developed the technology for use with biofuels at ZSL, said it is a significant step.

He said: “The biofuels market is growing quickly. We’re looking to build plants for a range of companies in the industry, including major multinationals around the world, and sell the collected water to the semi-conductor industry.

“The technology was initially used in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries but biofuels – and ethanol in particular – are ideally suited.

“We’ve spent three years reinventing, enhancing, proving and refining the technology and the end result is a costeffective, green application.”

The pilot plant will be created with a £145,000 investment from the Three Pillars Fund.

Amanda McMurray, Three Pillars Fund manager, said: “With the demand for new, cleaner and alternative power sources growing around the world, this is an expanding market with great potential.

“ZSL’s technology is an exciting new application that will be in strong demand with major companies around the world looking to use it as a cheaper and more effective means of drying.”