Kernel Capital in Northern Ireland has led a £2m (€2.2m) investment in Silform Technologies, which converts coal waste into fuel pellets via an environmentally clean process.

There are billions of tonnes of coal waste around the world, causing environmental problems and giving rise to significant ongoing costs.

Silform has developed what it calls an 'environmentally clean, high volume, low cost pelletising system' which converts coal waste deposits into pellets with economic value.  

The company is developing a metallurgical coal pellet for use in the steel industry, as well as an enhanced BioCoal which produces 30% less CO2 than coal but with a 70% increase in heat produced compared to pure wood biomass pellets.

Silform chief executive Ken Flockhart said: “With the continued support of our investors, we have successfully developed the patented FuelForm energy changeover technology, the precursor to our future MetaForm and BioForm range, and with the completion of our pilot plant we are poised to move to the next stage in commercialising our products.”

In Association with

Bank of Ireland’s Kernel Capital Growth Fund (NI) led the funding round, with the £2m investment supporting a pilot plant in Northern Ireland and scaling up the R&D team at Silform.

Partner Allen Martin commented: “Following on from our initial investment, the company has successfully developed and patented innovative technology that has the potential to deliver significant environmental and economic returns. This investment will enable the company to establish a pilot plant in conjunction with its commercial partners.”

Silform Technologies chairman Mervyn McCall has also made a significant private investment in the company. 

Photo (l-r) Allen Martin, Ken Flockhart, Mervyn McCall and Paul McClurg of Bank of Ireland UK.