Supplier news

Alliance BioEnergy forms subsidiary

The renewable energies technology firm Alliance BioEnergy Plus Inc. (ABE), West Palm Beach, Florida, has formed a new subsidiary called Central Florida Institute of Science and Technology Inc. (CFIST), which the company says will operate a commercial scale demonstration plant for ABE’s mechanical/chemical technology (CTS). The plant, under construction in Longwood, Florida, is expected to be operational in early 2015.

The facility is expected to be a profit center for ABE through the sale of CTS products and other chemicals.

CFIST will also oversee the design, engineering and construction of CTS plants both domestic and abroad while providing the important management and quality control for CTS in all applications.

ABE’s subsidiaries focus on a range of emerging technologies in the renewable energy sector, including biofuels. ABE owns a 50-percent interest in Carbolosic Research LLC, which holds the exclusive license to the CTS. The technology, developed by the University of Central Florida, is designed to produce sugars, various chemicals, plastics, carbon fibers and other products from plant material, wood or paper byproducts, fruit casings or biowaste.

Through these subsidiaries, ABE holds the exclusive worldwide license to proprietary intellectual property in the form of patents and patents pending.

CFIST also plans to explore alternate pathways for the CTS process while evaluating other technologies for acquisition or licensing.

Maverick Synfuels to market lineup of biogas-to-methanol plants

Maverick Synfuels, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, has announced the availability of its Maverick Oasis BG gas-to-liquid methanol plant product line. The plants are designed to convert biogas from sources such as anaerobic digesters and landfills into higher-value methanol.

Maverick says Oasis BG, when paired with anaerobic digestion (AD), is the first small-scale, economically viable solution that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps solve environmental problems associated with dairy, swine and organic waste. The Oasis system is designed to offer a new revenue stream for biogas producers and an alternative to generating electricity or venting gases.

The Maverick Oasis methanol plant uses technology that converts biogas into thousands of gallons per day of clean, AA-grade methanol that meets ASTM D1152 specifications, according to the company. Because the Oasis plant is modular, the company says it can be deployed rapidly.

Maverick says producing methanol with its Oasis plant could change the paradigm for biogas producers. At sites equipped with anaerobic digesters, the primary use of biogas has been to generate electricity. In addition, small amounts of biogas are purified and converted into transportation fuel, pipeline quality natural gas or combusted directly to produce heat.

“The current economics associated with producing and distributing electricity at waste sites limits the growth of biogas conversion systems,” says Sam Yenne, CEO of Maverick. The Maverick Oasis BG25 methanol plant has a capacity of 8,300 gallons per day of methanol, which can be consumed on site or transported to other markets. With a footprint of 50 feet by 100 feet, the Oasis BG25 plant requires about one acre to accommodate storage and tanker truck access.

By using standard assembly line manufacturing processes and replicated design, Maverick Synfuels says its Oasis system significantly reduces the capital requirements and delivery time (typically 10 to 15 months) compared with field-constructed plants.

Carbon Cycle unveils gasification vessel

Spokane Valley, Washington-based holding company Carbon Cycle Investments (CCI) says one of the primary objectives in acquiring a controlling interest in MPM Technologies (MPM) was to accelerate the relaunch of MPM’s photon-induced plasma arc gasification technology. CCI entered the stock purchase agreement in April 2013.

Branded Carbon Cycle Power (CCP) after the acquisition, the technology has been reviewed and re-engineered over the past two years in anticipation of building a demonstration unit.

CCI, which develops, acquires and manages businesses in the sustainability sector, unveiled the completed gasification vessel in February 2015 at Wheeler Industries in Spokane Valley.

“We’re that much closer to making the world a better place for future generations with this significant step forward,” says CCI Cofounder and Chief Operating Officer Ryan Skinner.

The company says future steps include sourcing the auxiliary systems that move the waste toward conversion into syngas in the main vessel.

UNTHA UK launches “How to Shred” videos

Untha UK, a U.K.-based manufacturer of shredding equipment for the recycling, waste and renewable energy sector, has released the first of what it says will be a series of “How to Shred” videos.

Untha UK’s inaugural video is “How to shred … bulky waste.”

The company notes that during an analysis of online visitor habits, Untha UK’s videos have attracted some of the greatest traffic levels on the company’s website.

Because of this, the company has launched a series of “How to Shred” films. Untha UK says initial plans call for the company to release one new video every month.

Each video will showcase how the company’s various types of equipment tackle a range of waste and recyclable materials, from familiar everyday objects to seemingly unshreddable items.

The videos will be available to watch and share on Untha UK’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/UnthaTV, and on the news section of Untha UK’s website, www.untha.co.uk, as well as on Twitter and LinkedIn and via email from Untha UK.

Commenting on the launch of the “How to Shred” films, Chris Oldfield, Untha UK’s managing director, referred to predictions that video will dominate as the social media content of choice in 2015.

“Last year video specialist Invodo published a statistic which claimed that in 2017, 74 percent of all internet traffic will be video.

“It’s therefore important that we communicate using media that our clients and prospective customers will most engage with and enjoy,” Oldfield says.

He adds, “Because we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, we’ll continue to offer content in as many forms as possible.”

EcoPAS picks Greenbelt Resources for pollution control project

EcoPAS, a Sacramento, California-based company dedicated to developing and applying modern technologies that help overcome winemaking challenges, has chosen Greenbelt Resources Corp., Paso Robles, California, to manufacture its Passive Alcohol System (PAS), a pollution control device that captures and transforms gaseous ethanol emissions into quality spirit products.

The full-scale PAS will be used in a soon-to-be-announced commercial winery during the grape harvest in summer and fall 2015. Marci Norkin-Schöpel, co-founder of EcoPAS, says the system should be installed and operational by July 2015. Meanwhile, the 2015 goal of EcoPAS is to become designated as a Best Available Control Technology (BACT) to assist in smog reduction from winery emissions while retaining the otherwise lost vapors for their commercial value.

Norkin-Schöpel says its first full-scale system will be able to handle around 120,000 gallons. He notes that the project has been in the testing stage for close to five years and the winery will be the first commercial application of the system, which has been geared exclusively for the winery industry.

“After a rigorous bidding process and extensive consideration, we chose Greenbelt Resources. With their cutting-edge ethanol technology and expertise we see a long-term relationship with Greenbelt as our partner,” says Norkin-Schöpel. “By selecting Greenbelt Resources, we benefit not only from their innovative, green manufacturing capabilities, but also their experience in ethanol condensation, which allows the potential for future collaboration beyond contract manufacturing.”

EcoPAS selected Greenbelt Resources as a manufacturing partner to fabricate the initial full-scale PAS units. A portion of the product produced by the PAS may serve as a feedstock for Greenbelt’s modular distillation and dehydration systems.

Through EcoPAS’ PAS system the company is able to extract a unique, high-quality spirit using ethanol vapors otherwise lost during active wine fermentation. The system captures and transforms gaseous ethanol emissions into a spirit containing many of the light floral esters that typically evaporate during fermentation.

“The invention of the PAS by EcoPAS is significant because of its ability to passively perform ethanol vapor-capture without the need for complex controls or major energy inputs — making it a truly environmentally friendly pollution control system,” says Darren Eng, CEO of Greenbelt Resources Corp. “The EcoPAS management and design team share our vision and have created a growth industry simply by producing a much-needed passive, pollution-control solution.”

EcoPAS says the company recently completed a successful pilot test at a commercial winery in Santa Barbara County, California. Completion of the full-scale system is expected by the end of the second quarter of 2015.