Save groundbreaking technology after arson attack

by Scintilla CME in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

Save groundbreaking technology after arson attack

Total raised £35,407

£150,000 target 53 days left
23% 809 supporters
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 31st March 2025 at 11:59pm

Help rebuild unique cutting-edge technology after an arson attack - to create low-cost sustainable electricity for all.

by Scintilla CME in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

A different future for energy is possible. 

Scintilla CME were only months away from launching a groundbreaking new technology that would enable the provision of low-cost and community owned energy. The possibility of the application of this technology in the UK and worldwide cannot be underestimated, and would provide a viable alternative to our current broken energy systems.

On the 10th January 2025, the workshop of Scintilla CME was burnt to the ground in a targeted arson attack. This workshop housed the only physical representation of this unique technology, which had been created and built up collaboratively over many years.

 The aim of this fundraiser is to rebuild this technology to build the more sustainable future we all want to see. 

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Affordable Hydrogen Fuel Cells That Work!

Scintilla CME Limited was founded in March 2015 as the flagship collaborative manufacturing enterprise (CME) for the regional production of advanced fuel cell technology. Using technology developed by Cygnus Atratus Ltd., a fuel cell development company. The aim was to provide community based production of fuel cells and hydrogen fuel from waste, creating stationary power production to local communities at an affordable price. 

The fuel cells technology are of a direct descendant of the Thomas Bacon Fuel Cell, the alkaline fuel cell used by NASA, most notable on the Appolo missions. This technology was further developed by Belgian Company Elenco and later on ZeTek who built the first hydrogen fuel cell powered London Taxis in the late 1990’s.

The ZeTek fuel cells worked, were robust and were tested for over 40,000 hours without degradation and contrary to confusion within the scientific community, are able to use air as the source for Oxygen. Furthermore, an alkaline fuel cell system captures CO2, providing Direct Air Capture and use opportunities.

There were two barriers to the commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cell in the late 1990’s, the cost of the production of the fuel cells, and the hydrogen issues of availability and storage.

Cygnus Atratus has taken a different approach to both of these problems and developed a fuel cell that is affordable yet maintains the same durability and longevity as the ZeTek fuel cells, and avoids the hydrogen problems by creating zero carbon hydrogen on demand from waste.

For those unfamiliar with a hydrogen fuel cell, it can be thought of as a battery that provides DC power which can be increased by combining them together as “stacks” to get the voltage or current characteristics for the intended purpose. Unlike a battery, the fuel cell does not need recharging by electricity, it is recharged by supplying hydrogen and oxygen (from air), these two gasses combine to create water, heat and electricity.  So long as fuel is supplied to the fuel cell in the correct quantities, power will be available 24/7.

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Waste to Energy

Our current approach of a waste to energy power plant is to take household waste, collect it by large vehicles, then combine it and put it on larger vehicles, transport it further afield and burn it.  This approach makes things easier for contractors but makes it difficult to adhere to the waste hierarchy.

Scintilla CME Ltd was working with community partners at The Bridge Liverpool CIC, towards localised waste collection with manual sorting.  This is to ensure useful items are kept in use, things that can be repurposed would and that organic waste would be processed to create zero carbon energy with a by product of heat, water and soil ameliorate. The water, soil and captured CO2 are then used for food production to be sold back to local restaurants, cafes and shops.

This circular economy approach is generously supported by the University of Liverpool, most notably through the Low Carbon Eco Innovatory.  Merseyside Waste and Recycling Authority have been promoting circular economy of waste for many years, and this technology and ideology match their agenda. 

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A targeted arson attack 

Our fuel cell development facility housed at the Bridge site in Liverpool was petrol bombed destroying critical production facilities and tools, fuel cells, operating systems, sensors and stock where entirely destroyed. 

Three separately sited containers on the community and social operated site were completely destroyed by three individual fires. This site is firmly rooted in community development and has been an important haven for people locally for over 10 years, supporting people into meaningful volunteering and work and providing vital inspiration, community and opportunity.

The impact of these fires on one container in particular is wide-ranging and can’t be understated. Luke Evans PhD student at the University of Liverpool and CEO of Scintilla CME Ltd, whose work is due to be submitted in March 2025, with 10 years of experimental work destroyed. 

Scintilla CME Limited was founded in March 2015 as the flagship collaborative manufacturing enterprise (CME) for the regional production of advanced fuel cell technology. Using technology developed by Cygnus Atratus Ltd., a fuel cell development company, the aim was to provide community based production of fuel cells and hydrogen fuel from waste.

Scintilla is the first CME and most advanced with the purpose of being a template for similar companies in Britain and beyond. At present there are four CMEs in various states of development but Scintilla is the jewel in the crown, being the first and most advanced. CME’s have the distinction of not depending on investment or outside finance, but built on the work of their directors, their time and talent.

Luke Evans is a particular example, being a dedicated engineer with vast acumen and inventive ability. He is completing his PhD based on the work he has undertaken to complete the development of systems designed to turn bio waste into electric energy. This could reduce costs of power to communities to 7.5p per kilowatt hour at point of use. In other words, a third of the national average.

The destruction of the Scintilla facility is more than just the demise of a company built by investment of time, effort and talent instead of commercial financial gain, but the effect on other CMEs not as advanced as the company Luke built from scratch. The reasoning behind the investment of effort rather than seeking commercial investment was to ensure the safety of the technology outside the reach of speculation. This noble effort has of course been sabotaged by the destruction of the production machinery, supplies and equipment demolished by criminal arson. It does not however, just affect Scintilla, but the entire enterprise of the CME philosophy of disruptive technology and economic understanding.

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Changing the direction of the future

The application of this advanced fuel cell technology cannot be underestimated. 

The fuel cells are the only current viable technology that could provide sustainable electricity for heavy industry. They are designed specifically for large applications such as local electricity production, marine and heavy transport such as rail. 

The implications of this are huge. It can help combat climate change, and bring us to Net Zero. 

This is where we need your help!

We are grateful for any contribution you are able to make. It all makes a difference and helps support a more sustainable future. 

The target amount is the minimum required to rebuild the essential technology that was destroyed in the fire. We have the knowledge, but some of the test equipment and manufacturing equipment that was acquired through auctions, out of bins, donated by Universities and companies, is very expensive. The equipment had slowly been collected and purchased over 10 years and was now in a place where small scale production was possible.

This help will enable Luke Evans, PhD candidate to complete the write up of the research, securing the contribution to this essential part of industry that will enable a more sustainable future. 

If you would like to get in touch to let us know another way that you could support this technology, please contact us at [email protected]

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