A Napier biofuel expert was asked to lead the recent trade mission backed by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on the environment in Manila.

The trade mission was led by Professor Martin Tangney, director of the Biofuel Research Centre (BfRC) at Napier University and involved several high profile private meetings with many top-level figures in industry and in Government, including the President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Edgardo Lacson and the Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources, Jose Atienza Jr.

Over 200 stakeholders from business and industry attended a mission seminar on 'Innovative Environmental Solutions from the UK' and they were given the opportunity to request one-to-one meetings with the delegates to discuss the impact that UK technologies could have on their businesses.

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Professor Tangney gave a lecture on the UK's potential for conversion of waste to biofuel and he was joined by Professor Charlie Bryce, also from Napier University, and Roger Werry, managing director of Sovereign C.S. Ltd, which provides solutions and systems in reusable materials, fuels and electricity for the processing of municipal waste and mining landfills, who discussed waste solutions.

The BfRC, the first dedicated biofuel centre in the UK, was established in 2007 at Napier University, one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland, to serve as a portal for biofuel research and information.

Prof Martin Tangney, said: "It was a great honour to be given the task of leading the UKTI trade mission and meeting such influential figures in the industry in Manila and to have been given the privilege to have private meetings with the President of the PCCI, and the Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources, who gave a different perspective to the mission delegates.

"Not only were we able to showcase our technologies and expertise but we were able to learn what Philippine companies and Government found to be worthwhile for their business."

(GK/JM)