Business insider article

24 February 2016, Royal Armouries Hall, Leeds The Medilink Healthcare Business Awards celebrate the achievements of the healthcare technology and related life sciences companies across Yorkshire & the Humber

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MANUFACTURING

INNOVATION

IN THE SPIRIT OF INNOVATION Moving from pre-revenue to commercialisation remains one of the biggest challenges for any business. Adam Lovell met the team behind Inspirit Energy as they edge towards launching into the Micro-CHP market after years of R&D The Charger: Inspirit Energy’s Micro-CHP

P

hotovoltaic solar panels are now de rigour for businesses looking to reduce the cost of energy, often presenting finance teams with a nice cheque every quarter to help balance the books. Now Inspirit in Rotherham has takenthe thetechnology technologytotoheatheatSheffield has taken ing ing systems, systems,creating creatingaaboiler boilerusing usinga asterling Stirling engine which engine which can can provide provide 15 15megawatts kilowatts ofof heating capability, heating capability,while whilealso alsoproducing producingthree three kilowatts of electricity. megawatts of electricity.

Director Paddy Thompson tells Insider: “Having your own supply on the ground is about de-risking your business, and not linked specifically to the reduction of cost but, more importantly, continuity of supply.

By putting this technology into places where it will be used continually, you get a good result financially, but you also get all the other benefits that come with it.”

Neil Luke, chief operating officer, started

work in Mexborough at Hattersly Brothers, a foundry which then moved into central heating. He then worked for Ideal and Baxi in various engineering operations roles and in research and development.

“At the moment energy is just a cost – people could see more benefits though,” he says. “The energy conservation argument is a no-brainer, but you need to find ways to apply technology to save costs and create continuous supply. This is one of those.”

The boiler The boiler uses uses aamodified modifiedcondenser condensing unit attached to aa sterling Stirling engine. engine.This Thistakes takes heat from the boiler and passes it through a system which heats and cools helium. As the gas absorbs the heat, a temperature difference creates a pressure differential that drives a piston, which in turn drives an electric motor.

Luke says: “To get the system started,

it wouldn’t kick in, we apply an electrical current through the motor to make the piston go, then when the thermal cycle is established, the system reverses. Several parts are new new and and patented patented even eventhough thoughthe theprinciple Stirling sterling engine is isfrom the 1800s.” engine principle from the 1800s.”

The technology has been used before in submarines to create energy to top up batteries and increase the time spent under water. They have, until now, been colossal machines. Innovation has been concentrated on making the technology smaller and quieter. Inspirit has managed this, the unit is no bigger than a washing machine.

Other advances are included too, with the piston being linked to a rhombic drive developed with ProDrive. A patented double crank, known as a rhombic drive, negates the thumping usually associated with a single piston, consequently reducing vibration and noise.

“The principle is that we can do a range of these boilers together,” says Luke. “They will work work is in care carehomes, homes,hotels, hotels,fast-food fast-foodchains, chains, gyms, all areas which need a lot of thermal output and all the while they will be each generating three kilowatts per hour of electricity. They will become part of a building’s eco-system, rather than just a heat provider.

You will be able to manipulate the generation to suit your demand.”

Luke’s pedigree suggests his enthusiasm is not unfounded. He developed the first UK-manufactured boiler while UK-manufacturedcondenser condensing boiler while with Ideal in Hull. After developing it he ran trials with British Gas when still under state ownership.

He explains: “The end result of trials was a White Paper, which came out and said we boiler, we needed needed to to adopt adopt the the condenser condensing boiler, which was 92 per cent efficient compared to 72 per cent before. They were 50 per cent more expensive, there was resistance among installers as they were more complicated and there were more on-costs, but the government offered a grant to offset the cost and then developed the energy rating system which forced manufacturers into acting.”

The company has ten units in production, which is the last stage before commercialisation and follows pre-revenue investment of insider DECEMBER 2015

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DIGITAL+TECHNOLOGY

MANUFACTURING

INNOVATION

Case study 1 WHAT WE DID

several million pounds. It hasn’t been plain for project-specific clear objections Luke also insists the installation and for project-specific work workwith with clearmax objectives 50 words sailing, though. US then raise direct against the project. maintenance is no greater than a typical Lorem Ipsum Itisworks simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting ABOUT industry.

Lorem Ipsum has been theas industry’s standard dummy text has Inspirit, which launched as Disenco and because we don’t have high operating costs boiler the sterling engine element boiler as the Stirling engine element has 65 words max Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the ever since the 1500s, an unknown printer to took galleymaintenance. of type and was based the Advanced Manufacturing right now we are financing the building of when been developed beazero printing andontypesetting industry.

Lorem Ipsum – has been scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Park, was owned by a Canadian ten 1500s, boilers for field trials.”

“We have developed an oil-free gearthe industry’s standard dummy company text ever since the THE OUTCOME listed Canadian Stock Exchange. box,” he explains. “Gas boilers have parts when on an the unknown printer took a galleyThe of type andAnother scram-challenge is high production 50 words max are current chief executive, John Gunn,book. was aIt has survived costs. Luke components exchanged over the period of their life but bled it to make a type specimen not says: “All the Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting major unique, not off the shelf, industry. not mass manufacthey have a ten-plus year lifespan. The only fishareholder. ve centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetLorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text Disenco ran out money having investedIt was popularised tured and thus expensive.” of ourprinter unit which delivering the ever since the 1500s, when parts an unknown took aare galley of type and ting, remaining essentially unchanged. scrambled it tohas make a type hot specimen book. significant amounts, but never realised the Thompson adds: “The latest round water and central heating are on the hot water and central heating are in the in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing investment before going under. Gunn, who been a move towards commercialisation. same position and have the same regime. runs London-based broker Global Investment There is a serious intent to get through the “The sterling engine hastotomeet meetthe the “The Stirling engine has OUR SPECIALISMS Strategy, the intellectual the lastof legthe before commercialisation.” same life expectancy and so a lot of the 60 wordsbought max Lorem Ipsum is property, simply dummy text testing and employees five years And the market opportunity? Domestiwork has been to create components that printingequipment and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been DID ago and continued to invest. cally, there are 1.6 millionWHAT boilers WE replaced work on that lifecycle.” the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, 50 words max Luke tells Insider: “He was financing the every year from a stock of approximately 18 He also insists the usage will widen when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scramLorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting company and has always been interested million not in the country. Theindustry. model Lorem InspiritIpsum has has been when marketstandard grows, with volume thethe industry’s dummy text manbled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived in developing businesses in the developed would only work homes with when ufacturing the cost and making everon since the 1500s, an unknownreducing printer took a galley of type and only five centuries, but also the low-carbon leap into electronic typesetscrambled to make a type the specimen book. more accessible. space.

He wanted to see it through to coma minimum of four bedrooms, with itlarger technology ting, remaining essentially unchanged. mercialisation.” families getting usage out of them.

On the “Housing associations will be of interest,” THE OUTCOME 50 words max A round of investor presentations proved commercial side, there are four million boilers says Luke. “Fuel poverty is something CONTACT Lorem Ipsum is simply text is of real, the printing unfruitful, so0161 the company nationally, with 350,000 replaced every year. dummy which in the and righttypesetting situation this will Telephone: 525 1200floated on AIM. industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text “We listed and now raise capital through Luke says: “What a commercial customer work.

A two-bedroom flat you wouldn’t use Email: tech@provider.co.uk ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and share issues,” Luke explains. “It’s up and wants is different from a domestic serv-a type this, but inbook. a block of numerous flats you scrambled one; it to make specimen Web: www.tech.co.uk down; there is an appetite, then it may slow. ing a business is very different. The systems would. A lot of things stack up to make We do tranches of investment by gearing up work better the more you use them.” this attractive.”

Case study 2

Case study 1 WHAT WE DID

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OUR SPECIALISMS Our strategy is to build capability across a wide range of technologies and products. This ensures we have the ability to make the right choices for our customers. We offer experienced, certified Enterprise Architects, Project Managers, Consultants and Developers. Our specialisms include IT Strategy, Architecture & Design, CRM, Project & Portfolio Management, Business Intelligence, SharePoint, Integration, Development & Web Solutions.

CONTACT Telephone: 0113 8000 200 Email: info@alscient.com Web: www.alscient.com

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Alscient has, for many years, been supporting giffgaff by providing experts on-site to cover IT strategy & architecture, data warehouse development, IT infrastructure and support services along with development and support of their award winning Lithium Community Platform. As an extension to giffgaff’s team, we are there when needed!

THE OUTCOME Our team has provided critical support to giffgaff through a tremendous phase of their growth and helped ensure they had the tools, information and resources available for them to execute their business plans with confidence. Alscient is a valued, trusted partner who delivers on its promises.

Case study 2 WHAT WE DID Standard Wool was using several legacy bespoke systems and spreadsheets to manage their wool trading and processing operation.

Change was difficult to implement, management information was both ineffective and time consuming and real time analysis was unachievable as the systems were standalone. It was holding the business back.

THE OUTCOME A Microsoft CRM solution was selected and then customised to enable Standard Wool to manage their end to end operation. We designed and developed an integrated, multi-currency, multi-company global solution with real-time analytics then migrated their solution and managed the company-wide transition to ensure a seamless operation.

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