Bladon looks for micro turbine growth funds

The Coventry-based company has developed the world’s first 12kW Micro Turbine Genset

Micro turbine maker Bladon Jets is seeking to raise up to £20 million to fund the further growth and development of the business. 

The Coventry-based company has developed the world’s first 12kW Micro Turbine Genset (MTG), a small, lightweight generator that it claims offers several advantages over conventional diesel generators – including lower total cost of ownership. 

The global market for conventional, 12kW, diesel-powered generators totals a million units a year. Within this market, Bladon has identified strong demand from telecommunications towers operators, particularly in Africa. 

The company claims its MTGs are more efficient and cleaner burning than conventional generators. “They can be powered by a range of fuels – enabling the substitution of lower-cost alternatives to diesel, and discouraging fuel theft by using fuel mixtures that are unsuitable for conventional diesel engines,” said Paul Barrett, Bladon’s chief executive officer. “Our MTGs also require no oil or water – prolonging service intervals and greatly reducing maintenance costs.” 

The company is undertaking trials with telecom tower companies in Nigeria and Uganda, and exploring funding options to support a production ramp-up in the coming months. 

“We have identified a market opportunity for MTGs across sectors and territories,” said Barrett. “Our aim is to be a pre-eminent player in the distributed power-generation revolution that is bringing electricity to rural areas in the developing world and disruptive change to energy markets in the developed world.”

In future, the company sees opportunities in rural India and other parts of the world where there isn’t an electricity grid.