Many scientists argue that we could save 75% of the energy we use by improving energy efficiency. Indeed the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions, instead of covering Scotland with useless and costly industrial wind turbines, would be to reduce the amount of energy we waste. A Scottish company is about to explode onto the world’s business pages by putting this theory into practice. Heliex Power of East Kilbride has started commercial production of a new rotary screw expander, which achieves the Holy Grail of energy efficiency, by recovering energy from industrial processes and converting it into power generation. 

I visited Heliex in East Kilbride on 10th May and was shown their new waste heat to energy system in action. The company is co-financed by BP and ESB Novus Modus, the investment arm of the Irish utility ESB, and is targeting industries around the world that produce waste heat, such as the electricity generation sector, petrochemical industries, glass plants and refractories, food processors, the brewing and distilling sector, paper production and biomass and landfill gas systems. 

Professor Dan Wright, CEO of Heliex Power told me that his revolutionary new process, based on what he describes as closed loop steam screw expander systems, can help customers to reduce their electricity costs and minimise their carbon footprint. It’s refreshing to find someone in the energy business in Scotland that knows what they are talking about!