A Blooming History

• 1999 Formed as an unincorporated association

• 1999 Research of alternative fuels started

• 2000 Strategy to convert vehicles to Gas to raise money for other more sustainable fuelling options decided                                                                           

• 2000 First Phase of business planning sarted

• 2000 Initial  Business Plan for Blooming Futures drafted

• 2000 Suitable Company structure identified for successful delivery of business Plan
  

• 2001 Qualified to convert vehicles to high pressure gas and LPG

• 2001 Incorporated in May as a not for profit Limited by gurantee Co-operative

• 2001 May First conversion to LPG 

• 2001 Research of alternative fuels funded by gas conversions started with a great deal of unpaid work going into establishing a workshop to research from

• 2001 Started making test batches of rape-methyl-esther (RME) bio-diesel

• 2001 Delivered the first Biodiesel talks and workshop in the UK (that we are aware of) at the big Green gathering

• 2002 Set up a partnership with Magpie recycling co-operative, The Fuels And Recycling Initiative (F.A.R.I.) to collect and convert waste oil into RME bio-diesel

• 2002 set up small test lab facility alongside Magpie to develop bio-diesel research

• 2002 Small batch processor built and production of RME bio-diesel heavily researched throughout the year

• 2002  recieved funding from Brighton and Hove council for core running costs

• 2002 developed web presence as information centre for others wishing to set up sustainability co-operatives

• 2003 Donated fuel to the Earthship building site (www.lowcarbon.co.uk) making it the first bio-diesel powered building site in the UK

• 2003 delivered numerous workshops on Biodiesel production

• 2003 produced bio-diesel from hemp oil and donated it to the J-day festival in London making it the first hemp diesel blend powered festival in the world (that we are aware of)

• 2003 recieved funding from Brighton and Hove council for core running costs

• 2003 developed business plan for a co-operative bio-diesel production model raising several environmental concerns about the actual sustainability of the RME bio-diesel model

• 2003 carried out first PPO conversion

• 2003 moved away from bio-diesel production towards PPO due to highlighted environmental concerns

• 2003 linked with the author of www.vegburner.co.uk and welcomed him onboard the Blooming Futures team

• 2003 carried out several other research conversions experimenting with kit technologies

• 2003 started researching different approaches to cleaning used cooking oil for use in converted engines

• 2003 wrote and delivered a seriesof 14 sustainability courses for the Brighton Earthship project

• 2004 developed workshops to facilitate delivering a more efficient PPO conversion service

• 2004 continued researching alternative fuel technologies

• 2004 Built a combined heat and power plant that runs on waste vegetable oil

• 2004 developed research into using waste streams for the potential of building combined heat and power plants for developing countries

• 2004 developed a low cost govenor device to regulate the power output of the reclaimed CHP plant design

• 2005 received funding from Defra through the Environmental Action Fund to deliver the Bio-fleet programme

• 2005 further developed the combined heat and power plant that runs on waste vegetable oil

• 2005 further developed the low cost energy govenor system for regulating the power output of the generator set

• 2005 converted the Zed factory Lupo (one of the UK’s leading green architects firms) Winning support from this sector

• 2005 Joined Co-operatives UK

• 2005 developed extensive contacts and support for the PPO model across a wide range of sectors

• 2005 became UK Elsbett service Partners

• 2005 converted several vehicles to run on PPO with Elsbett technologies

• 2005 Recruited the UK's only diesel airship engineer, with experience of diesel engine development

• 2005 attended the first UK PPO Association meeting and proposed a constitution

• 2005 started delivering workshops to farmers to integrate crop producers into the sustainable fuel model proposed by the Bio-fleet project

• 2005 Agreed working partnership with Laurance Guald Associates a leading agricultural consultancy to develop a joined seed press project as a prototype development for future potential presses with their farming membership

• 2005 Won funding from the Network for social Change

• 2006 attended the first European PPO Association meeting representing England with a televised presentation

• 2006 started conversions for the Bio-Fleet project converting one vehicle a week in the early phase ramping up to two conversions a week as the project progresses

• 2006 Agreed 50% funding for the conversion of 8 taxis for the new Bio-cab company

• 2006 relaunched website as a focused PPO promotion resource

• 2006 set in place the first PPO fuel delivery scheme in the UK

• 2006 Agreed research Project with leading engine testing facility with Brighton University

• 2006 started working with Plumpton College to develop an educational seed press that will also serve the Colleges fuel needs and meet some of their cattle feed demands

• 2006 agreed installation date for a trial seed press with Weald Granary to produce fuel grade PPO to be running by December

• 2006 Agreed first UK single tank conversion of new generation Volkswagen group engine

• 2006 Agreed conversion of articulated lorry

• 2006 Agreed conversion of a Tractor for Brighton Community Composting Group

• 2006 Co-ordinated the formative meeting of the United Kingdom Pure Plant Oil Association
  

• 2006 Agreed first UK engine warranty deal for converted engines allowing new and old vehicle owners to have an engine warranty after converion

• 2006 helped write a reponse to the HMRC review of the fiscal definition of biodiesel with the UKPPOA

• 2006 Met with a representative of the Treasury to put forward a case for PPO in light of the propsed fiscal definition review

• 2006 Joined the low carbon vehicle partnership

• 2006 Site visit and meeting with Rt Hon David Miliband- secretary of state for the environement put forward the idea of PPO as a viable fuel model

• 2006 met with the directors of the chichester co-operative grain store and put forward the concept of cold pressed oil for fuel

• 2006 agreed support from Corgi for an old boiler parts for Africa project which aims to use waste boiler parts in simple twin tank conversions for communities in developing countries

• 2006 joined the fuels working group of the lowCVP and attended a meeting on the proposed renewable transport fuels obligation

• 2006 Southwark council, who we are converting 5 vehicles under the biofleet for, were nominated for best fleet manager of the year and public sector green fleet of the year

• 2006 Europe wide Haulage truck engine warranty covered agreed up to £33000 of cover for co nverted large engined vehicles.

• 2006 Featured in the first broad sheet article dedicated to PPO Click to link

• 2006 won The South East Renewable Energy Award For Innovation

• 2006 A blooming futures converted vehicle appeared on the country file making it the first national television piece to feature PPO

• 2007 Converted first of four vehicles for Brighton and Hove Council

• 2007 Brighton University agreed to apply for funding after we completed a joint study of existing papers this will lead to an excellent UK knowledge base.

• 2007 agreed engine conversion for first PPO hybrid car

• 2007 Converted a VW Transporter for the famous River Cottage Farm

• 2007 Converted first Tractor for Jody Scheckter - as part of the UK's first fossil fuel free farm project

• 2007 Converted Common Rail Chrysler for football star David James

• 2007 Converted Unit Injection Skoda with a single tank system for the Bio-Cabs project

• 2007 Won funding from Natural England to purchase 7kW Plant Oil Powered generator and display seed press

• 2007 Powered several public events with Pure Plant Oil Power - another UK first for Blooming Futures

• 2007 Now acting as consultants for establishing Elsbett's new UK operations

 

Print this page: · ©2008 Blooming Futures
Blooming Futures is a registered not for profit co-operative. Registration number 4214435