The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has formed a strategic partnership with Accelergy Corporation, a global leader in the production of high-grade domestically sourced liquid fuels, to commercialize a suite of technologies for the production of liquid fuels from coal and biomass.
Under the terms of the agreement, Accelergy will license the EERC developed biomass conversion process technology from the EERC Foundation as part of Accelergy's coal-biomass-to- liquid (CBTL) process (licensed from ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company) to accelerate the development of specialty liquid jet fuels used by the military from cleaner, nonpetroleum sources. This follows a mandate by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to procure 50% of its fuel from cleaner and domestic sources by 2016.
Project Manager Ted Aulich estimates the total research project cost at $3.5 million, including $250,000 in construction costs and $600,000 in equipment costs to remodel the Slurry Building for the pilot-scale project. The project is being funded by Accelergy Corporation and the U.S. Department of Energy.
"The EERC's mission has always been to create solutions for our country's energy challenges through technological advancements and strong partnerships with private sector companies like Accelergy," said Gerald Groenewold, Director of the EERC. "This development marks a milestone in the production of cleaner, 100% synthetic fuel through our combined technologies, sets a standard for the industry to follow, and paves the way for its rapid adoption."
"Accelergy is the first to provide a 100% synthetic jet fuel for USAF with high thermal stability, increased energy density, lower environmental impact, and competitive costs," said Tim Vail, CEO of Accelergy. "With the production of these fuels that utilize carbon as a feedstock, we are one step closer to setting a benchmark for the industry, as well as commercializing our fuels. The facility at the EERC allows us to produce meaningful quantities of fuel, confirm our performance estimates, and further refine our fuel products. With the test results in hand, the Air Force and defense contractors can then explore the full range of options for employment of advanced synthetic fuels in next-generation aircraft designs."
Utilizing proprietary microcatalytic liquefaction technologies and direct biomass conversion technologies, Accelergy's integrated CBTL process domestically produces a tunable range of low-net-carbon fuels, including premium gasoline; diesel; Jet-A; and military JP-5, JP-8, and JP-9 jet fuels. The CBTL process is unique in its ability to maintain a high overall thermal efficiency while significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with comparable refining methods.
Production from the EERC pilot facility will commence in the third quarter of 2010, with fuel deliveries to the Air Force Research Labs commencing in late 2010/early 2011. The pilot facility will also provide a valuable tool for evaluating new coal and biomass feedstocks as the technology moves toward commercial deployment.
Source: North Dakota Department of Commerce
No comments:
Post a Comment