C2L Development Center & Industry News
Southern Research Institute's C2L Development Center Signs Agreement with ThermoChem Recovery International
BALTIMORE, MD and DURHAM, NC (April 21, 2008) - Southern Research Institute today announced they have signed a five-year agreement with ThermoChem Recovery International (TRI) to assemble and operate a biomass gasification pilot plant for TRI within its Carbon-to-Liquids (C2L) Development Center in North Carolina. Southern Research engineers and technicians, in collaboration with TRI Engineers, will test various types of biomass, syngas cleaning systems, catalysts, and other operational features that support for production of clean power or biofuels. The specific terms of the contract were not released.
"Increased public awareness of our serious energy issues, climate change, and other factors is fueling a surge in research around new energy sources. Southern Research is excited to work with TRI to help forward its progress toward rapid commercialization of biomass gasification and biorefinery technology," said Stephen Piccot, director of Advanced Energy and Transportation Technologies at Southern Research Institute. "We are thrilled to engage our research staff and energy laboratories in North Carolina to further this groundbreaking effort."
Fabrication of individual components of the pilot plant has been underway for several months. Erection of the integrated system at the C2L Center will begin this spring and plant commissioning is scheduled to begin this summer. The pilot plant will be capable of processing up to 5.5 tons per day of biomass and will produce significant quantities of clean syngas. It will be used as to optimize TRI's proprietary processes and provide TRI and it's customers with the data needed to scale up for commercial operations.
"Our company's mission is to provide advanced steam reforming-based syngas generation systems to industry, and provide enabling technology, integrated solutions and expertise to build and operate biorefineries," said Dan Burciaga, TRI president. "Much of that advancement will take place here at the C2L Development Center, and we are delighted to partner with the experienced researchers at Southern Research in this R&D effort."
Southern Research's environmental and energy research experience spans more than 40 years, and this is the second commercial system implemented at Southern's new C2L Development Center this year. The Center opened one year ago in response to an increased demand by clients for help developing technologies that convert wastes, non-food energy crops, forest residues, and other renewable carbon resources into clean transportation fuels and power. Previous environmental and energy-related research projects have been conducted for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, commercial electric power generators, oil and gas companies, coal mining operations, transportation technology and fuel suppliers, and various state organizations like the California Energy Commission, the New York State Research and Development Authority, and others.
ABOUT THERMOCHEMICAL RECOVERY INTERNATIONAL
TRI is a biomass-to-energy company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and provides advanced bio-energy and bio-fuels technologies and solutions to the pulp and paper industry. Created in 1996 to commercialize technologies developed by its founder, TRI's proprietary technology, the PulseEnhanced™ steam reforming gasification system, recovers energy and chemicals from spent pulping liquors. Visit www.tri-inc.net for more information.
ABOUT THE CARBON TO LIQUIDS (C2L) DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The C2L Center provides independent technical support to clients who are developing and integrating advanced energy systems and transportation fuel production technologies. The facility, a unit of the Southern Research Engineering Division, was established in April 2007 to facilitate the commercial acceptance of environmentally superior technologies that convert non-food based carbon resources into high value products like clean diesel, jet fuel, methanol, ethanol and electric power. The C2L Center is located on 28 acres in the northern Research Triangle region of North Carolina. It maintains 32,000 sq. feet of high bay process and laboratory space, and 10,000 sq. feet of office space and meeting facilities for showcasing client technologies. For more information, see www.carbontoliquids.com.
ABOUT SOUTHERN RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Southern Research is a not-for-profit organization that conducts scientific research at facilities in Alabama, Maryland and North Carolina. Southern Research provides contract research in the fields of advanced engineering, environmental and energy-related research, and preclinical drug discovery and drug development. For more information, see www.southernresearch.org.
