Noreus nets contract to help Bangladesh fishers with portable refrigeration system
Our green-energy business, based in Staffordshire, has landed a £75,000 contract to help the fishermen of Bangladesh.
Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd, had been asked to design a portable refrigeration system so up to two thirds of their catch doesn’t rot on the return sea trip.
The plan also includes using the excess energy to provide the crew with hot water.
“I am delighted to see a business idea turning into an opportunity to help change people’s lives,” said Ron.
Noreus Ltd, on the Keele Science and Innovation Park, is one of 31 businesses that has benefited from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), a £1.8 billion UK government innovation to help developing countries worldwide.
The idea started last year when a delegation from the University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh, visited the University of Keele where they met Ron and heard about his green energy company.
In partnership with the two universities, Noreus Ltd and TMT First, a tech company based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs, have developed a solar thermodynamic process to cool the fish while they are transported back to the ports in a solid-state refrigeration system using recycled batteries.
The two universities are supplying the research for the enterprise to ensure it meets the Bangladeshi government’s business, social and cultural needs.
Ron said that around 12 million people live in the coastal areas of Bangladesh where their main trade is fishing.
But the fisheries industry, one of the biggest in the world, has been hit badly by overfishing, lack of investment and climate change resulting in bans in some areas to allow stocks to recover.
With the fishermen having to travel further out to sea to earn a living, the longer journey home, plus no cooling system on board, meant that a lot of the fish rotted before they could be sold.
Ron said also that diesel generators on the boats caused harmful pollution and the fish, when heavily salted to try and preserve them, was causing some customers kidney damage.
The partnership was hoping to trial one of the refrigeration systems at Keele this month and another in Bangladesh in the autumn this year. But that has now been put back at least a month to May because of the coronavirus problem.
Early next year the group will be able re-apply for an innovation grant to develop the refrigeration system on a large scale, and if successful these kits will be built in North Staffordshire and then sent out to Bangladesh.
“It is very exciting,” added Ron, “I never thought a small green energy company in North Staffordshire would one day be helping the fishermen of Bangladesh.”
For more advice on green energy matters contact Ron on 01782 756995.
