ACAL Energy - Company background

ACAL Energy was founded in August 2004 to develop and commercialise Dr Andrew Creeth's invention for addressing the inherent technical limitations of the cathode side of PEM Fuel Cells. Dr Creeth has been working in the fields that underpin the core technology for more than 20 years.

Early stage funding came from the Rising Stars Growth Fund, the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry and the Carbon Trust. This allowed the company to demonstrate that the technology had the potential to address critical issues that have prevented a more rapid commercialisation of this new energy cleantech. Following three subsequent funding rounds, the company now counts the Carbon Trust, Solvay and I2BF as major shareholders and smaller investments from Honda, Sumitomo Corp as well as a number of investments from UK venture capital funds. These funds have allowed growth in staff and the development of the technology to meet the needs of commercial applications for PEM fuel cell technology with lower capital cost and robustness in operation, than conventional designs.

ACAL Energy is based in the North West of England at The Heath Business and Technology Park in Runcorn, Cheshire. Its current laboratory and commercial facilities have continuously expanded to accommodate the company's in-house chemistry development team and engineering resources.

To complement its own facilities and capabilities, ACAL Energy has R&D collaborations in place with a number of the UK's leading centres for research on Fuel Cells and its related technologies including The Universities of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Birmingham as well as C Tech Innovation Ltd, and several industrial partners. Over 90% of the staff are graduates and they are led by a strong executive team and a board of directors with experience in key areas such as management of technology development in venture funded companies and leadership of the fuel cell development function for a major auto company. The company is in the process of extending its relationships into partnerships with global players that are developing Fuel Cell systems.