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Greenearth Energy advances carbon dioxide to fuel technology

Last updated: 15:00 11 Mar 2014 AEDT, First published: 14:00 11 Mar 2014 AEDT

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Greenearth Energy (ASX: GER) should trade higher after its partner NewCO2Fuels (NCF) in a joint carbon dioxide (CO2) to fuel project has completed Stage 2 testing, improving the dissociation rate fourfold over Stage 1 testing in Israel.

Stage one testing in January proved the feasibility of their solar powered, carbon dioxide to fuel conversion technology.

NCF continuous tests are now running for over 100 hours, proving technology stability, and converting 15 kilograms of CO2 into 10 kilograms of CO and 5 kilograms of oxygen per day

In passing these two tests, NCF has successfully demonstrated that the technology effectively dissociates CO2 into CO and O2 in a heating environment, at a rate which supports a commercially viable product.

It has now been shown that a simple increase in the number of internal dissociation elements can enable NCF to reach industrial capacity levels.

In 2011 Greenearth Energy secured an exclusive worldwide research and license agreement via Israeli start-up company NewCO2Fuels for the technology, with its investment is represented by a 50% ownership in NewCO2

NewCo was formed to develop and commercialise a system to profitably produce fuels from CO2 and water, using renewable high temperature heat from solar or excess heat from industry.

The system is based on a technology previously developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science and exclusively licensed to NewCo.

Greenearth previously signed an option deed which grants Erdi Fuels the right to acquire Greenearth's 50% ownership of NewCO2, with Greenearth to retain an ongoing royalty stream.

The current ownership structure of this investment is currently in negotiations.

With the NCF solar receiver already tested and proven, the NCF solar reactor configuration, utilising heat from a solar based source as the final testing of phase 2 is currently on track.

This system holds great potential in producing a clean and renewable alternative to fossil fuels, using CO2 emitted from industrial processes as its feedstock.

NCF is now discussing possible collaborations with companies in the power-generation, metal production, glass,
gasification and other industries.

By integrating NCF’s system with their facilities, these companies can improve overall plant efficiency by turning their CO2 and/or heat emissions into a profitable product.

It's clearly early days but this technology, and thus Greenearth, is one to keep an eye on for future confirmation and commercial agreements.

 

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