December, 2012:

to kswong, christineloh

http://www.waste-management-world.com/index/display/article-display/4824436474/articles/waste-management-world/waste-to-energy/2012/12/Fulcrum_Secures__175_for_Waste_to_Fuel_Gasification_Project.html

Fulcrum Secures US$175m for Waste to Fuel Gasification Project

03 December 2012

Pleasanton, California based waste renewable fuel specialist, Fulcrum BioEnergy has secured commitments and is proceeding toward closing financings totaling $175 million to fund construction of its first municipal solid waste (MSW) to low-carbon fuels plant.

The company said that the Sierra BioFuels Plant will use sorted, post-recycled MSW and convert it into ethanol using a two-step process which consists of gasification followed by alcohol synthesis. The plant also produces enough energy to power the process.

Fulcrum added that it engineering and technology teams have recently made numerous enhancements to the design of the Sierra facility and to its proprietary MSW to ethanol process.

According to the company these improvements will dramatically reduce its cost to produce renewable fuel to less than $0.75 per gallon at plant, down from approximately $1.25 per gallon as previously disclosed.

The company went to on claim that it now expects the cost of production at its future to be less than $0.50 per gallon, down from $0.70 per gallon as previously disclosed.
Fulcrum said that the latest investment will not only finance the Sierra facility, but will also fund the development of future projects.

“The current IPO market environment remains challenging, especially for development stage companies like Fulcrum,” explained Fulcrum President and Chief Executive Officer E. James Macias.

“Because of this we have secured commitments from alternative capital resources to advance our MSW to renewable fuel program and we have withdrawn our registration statement,” he added.

“We intend to pursue an initial public offering in the future when market conditions are more favorable,” concluded Macias.

A video explaining Fulcrum’s waste to fuel technology can be seen below.

Source URL: http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=23517

Abramovich becomes the latest billionaire to support clean-tech energy

Ervington Investments, which is backed by Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, has acquired a 10% stake in UK energy-from-waste firm Waste2Tricity.

Waste2Tricity has struck a commercial agreement to exclusively represent fuel cell specialist AFC Energy in the UK for applications involving the integration of AFC’s products with hydrogen derived from the gasification of municipal solid waste to generate clean energy.

The share capital is thought to be worth in the region of £8.7m and Paul Heagren, who is a long standing employee of Abramovich, will be joining the company as a non-executive director.

Waste2Tricity chairman Peter Jones said he was delighted to announce the new relationship with Roman Abramovich’s investment company.

“We note Ervington’s recent investments in AFC Energy and Alter NRG, the plasma gasification company. Waste2Tricity has a longstanding relationship with both of these companies and their technologies,” he said.

Established in 2009, Waste2Tricity works with clients and partners to develop, fund and support EfW deployment projects that integrate proven plasma gasification and internal combustion engines/gas turbines.

Waste2Tricity has been instrumental in establishing what is claimed to be the world’s largest advanced gasification plant when it goes live in Teeside in 2014.

The 50MW facility, which will be built and operated by Air Products, recently secured its first power offtake agreement with a high street retail chain for electricity generated by the facility. It will also host a demonstrator plant on-site for hydrogen generation from residual waste.

Maxine Perella

This story is taken from Sacbee /

MONTREAL, Nov. 28, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ – PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (“PyroGenesis” or the “Company”) (TSXV: PYR), an environmental solutions company that designs, develops and manufactures plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is proud to announce today that it has secured a $5.5 million reorder from a major customer (the “Customer”) for one of its plasma waste destruction systems. Due to confidentiality provisions, Pyrogenesis is not able to disclose the name of the Customer or technical data related to the reorder at this time.

Today, $2.1 million of the $5.5 million has been released and over the next 18 months, Pyrogenesis will manufacture, commission and deliver a plasma waste destruction system to the Customer. “This reorder represents a commercial breakthrough for Pyrogenesis and plasma technology in general. It is the first time a plasma waste destruction system has been reordered after it has been accepted in a commercial setting by anyone in the world. We are truly making history”, says Peter Pascali, President and CEO of Pyrogenesis.

Looking forward, and as a result of this reorder and other recent contracts, Management believes that Pyrogenesis is now positioned as a strong and credible player within both the market for plasma based waste destruction technologies as well as that for niche torch applications. The Company has successfully realigned its workforce, rationalized and significantly reduced its expenses, paid off all bank and VC debt and, is therefore ideally positioned to expand its business across all sectors. As a result, Management expects to have its first steady state cash flow break-even quarter in early 2013 and projects to achieve significant growth in revenues and profitability in the mid-term.

“Given the validation provided by this reorder, PyroGenesis’ technology, combined with recent unsolicited requests for quotation from municipalities as well as unsolicited interest from funds to finance such opportunities, PyroGenesis has decided to aggressively target the build-own-operate waste-to-energy municipal (high tonnage) waste treatment market“, says Peter Pascali, President and CEO of Pyrogenesis. “We are proud to introduce our successful waste to energy solutions to this market which has for some time been looking for a credible and reliable plasma based waste to energy solution”.

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada is an environmental solutions company that designs, develops and manufactures plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products. PyroGenesis’ proprietary plasma technologies utilize the intense energy of plasma to gasify and vitrify virtually any type of waste without producing hazardous by-products. PyroGenesis’ patented gasification and vitrification technology is different from incineration because it produces a clean synthetic gas from waste, which can be used for power generation. PyroGenesis’ technology can also turn waste into a glassy rock that can be utilized as construction material. PyroGenesis has marquee defense industry and civilian customers that are using its technology in marine and land-based applications. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

Order Reprint

Fri 30 Nov 2012 – The British Airways and Solena GreenSky London project to build a sustainable jet biofuel facility in East London is gaining momentum, say the two partners. They won’t reveal the location but an exclusive option on a site for the facility and consent work has begun, with the aim of having it operational and in production by 2015. The airline has now confirmed its commitment to purchasing, at “market competitive” prices, the anticipated 50,000 tonnes of jet fuel produced annually by the plant for the next 10 years, which equates to around $500 million at today’s price for conventional jet kerosene. Barclays has been appointed as advisor to explore the optimal funding through export credit agencies and the consortium providing the facility’s key technology functions has also been announced. British Airways expects enough sustainable fuel be produced to power two per cent of its fleet departing from London Airports.

“We are delighted that the GreenSky London project is getting ever closer to fruition,” said Keith Williams, the Chief Executive of British Airways, which is aiming to reduce its net carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. “With world-class technology partners now in place, we are well on our way to making sustainable aviation fuel a reality by 2015.”

Around 500,000 tonnes of municipal waste normally sent to landfills will be converted annually into 50,000 tonnes of biodiesel, bionaphtha and renewable power at the facility as well as the 16 million gallons of jet fuel. Solena Fuels Corporation will provide the proprietary high-temperature gasification process that converts the waste into synthetic gas and the overall Integrated Biomass Gasification to Liquids (IBGTL) solution.

The Fischer-Tropsch reactors and catalyst that will convert the cleaned synthetic gas into liquid hydrocarbons, such as diesel and jet fuel, will be supplied by Oxford Catalysts. Marketed under the brand name Velocys, the company says its systems are significantly smaller than those using conventional technology, enabling modular plants that can be deployed more cost-effectively in remote locations and on smaller scales than is possible with competing systems. Fluor Corporation, which has extensive international experience in project execution and biofuel projects, is providing engineering services to support Solena and has started the pre-front end engineering and design for the project.

On the financing, a Competitive Letter of Interest has been obtained from one of the export credit agencies, including associated term funding. More than 150 jobs are expected to be created to operate the facility, with 1,000 workers involved during the construction.

An independent life-cycle assessment by UK-based North Energy Associates of the Solena jet biofuel showed that greenhouse gas savings exceeded both the 60% requirement of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the 50% minimum of the methodology established by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB).

“Our GreenSky London project will provide clean, sustainable fuels at market competitive prices that will help address British Airways’ sustainability goals,” said Dr Robert Do, CEO of Solena. “The British Airways offtake agreement represents the largest advanced biofuel commitment ever made by an airline and clearly demonstrates the airline’s leadership and vision in achieving its carbon emission reduction targets.”

http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=1627

Solena Fuels News – see links below

November 30, 2012

British Airways pledges 10-year off-take agreement as GreenSky project with Solena gathers momentum

November 30, 2012

British Airways Press Release – GreenSky London

October 23, 2012

Airline Weekly – Waiting for a Breakthrough

September 28, 2012

Lufthansa turns to algae and municipal solid waste in quest for new sources of sustainable jet biofuel

September 18, 2012

Lufthansa and Solena sign biofuels MoU

September 12, 2012

Announcement of Solena Berlin

August 17, 2012

BA High Life – Q&A with British Airways CEO, Keith Williams

August 16, 2012

Dr. Robert Do, President & CEO of Solena Fuels Corporation  appointed CO-Chair of the ACORE Transportation Initiative

Pioneers in the Sustainable Aviation and Marine Fuels Market

Using our proprietary technology, Solena Fuels has developed a synthetic fuels solution and business model that addresses the historical challenges faced by the biofuels market. Solena’s synthetic fuel is a “drop-in” fuel that allows airlines and shipping companies to utilize a sustainable energy source without any changes to their engines or infrastructure. Our proprietary technology allows us to use a wide variety of heterogeneous waste feedstocks that do not compete with crops or use water. We partner with the end users of our fuel to develop a facility that allows them to sustainably operate their business.

The aviation and shipping industries consume large amounts of fuel that has traditionally been refined from fossil-based sources – predominately crude oil. The consumption of these fossil fuels is unsustainable, harms the environment and makes it difficult for airlines and shipping companies to operate their businesses. Various market drivers such as the inclusion of airlines into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (beginning in 2012) and shipping companies incurring sulfur emission restrictions while coming into ports has accelerated the need for our solution. Solena Fuels is committed to helping its partners operate in a sustainable manner by producing a synthetic, drop-in, carbon neutral, low-sulphur fuel from waste biomass.

Additional Information

To contact Solena Fuels with any questions or inquiries, please email our CFO, Brian Miloski, at miloski@solenafuels.com

Download PDF : Brian-Miloski-SOLENA