Youtricity: clean water & energy from waste

Youtricity is developing the world's first Direct Urea Powered Fuel Cells targeting applications in water treatment/purification and renewable energy where urea is a problem contaminant.

As a major component of urine and mass manufactured, non-toxic easily transported solid, urea offers a freely available alternative to hydrogen or methanol fuels. Building on patent pending technology the first Youtricity has already demonstrated proof of principle using commercially available urea solution (AdBlue® or Greenox®) and urine.

Urea is a rich nitrogen source and its removal from municipal wastewater through de-nitrification is both energy intensive and expensive; by direct removal of urea, Youtricity offers a possible alternative producing both clean water and electricity.

Funded by an EPSRC Follow on Fund Grant (EP/H029400/1) and with a 100cm² demonstrator planned for early 2011, the team at Heriot-Watt University (Scotland) is optimising the Youtricity cell in preparation for further investment or technology licensing.

Youtricity is developing water treatment solutions: if you have a problem with urea or urine removal in wastewater, or if you would like more information, please contact us:

• Dr Shanwen Tao: +44 (0) 131 145 4299
• Mr Robert Goodfellow: +44 (0) 131 451 3616, R.J.Goodfellow@hw.ac.uk