Active Energy CoalSwitch plant to open this week
Biomass and forestry management business Active Energy has announced that its first commercial CoalSwitch plant in Utah, US, will have its official opening this week.
According to Active Energy, CoalSwitch is “unique, high-calorific, high bulk-density, advanced biomass pellet that behaves just like coal, albeit with all the environmental benefits of clean biomass.’
A cellulose based fuel, CoalSwitch utilises low value waste-wood, pulp mill and saw mill by-products, chemically-treated timber wastes, palm oil residues and a variety of other biomass feedstock. Active Energy claims that CoalSwitch’s use of low-cost wastematerial translates into significant cost-benefits.
The last few years have seen testing and verification of the CoalSwitch feedstock carried out by the University of Utah.
During the week beginning 5 February, the first commercial plant will be fully operational and producing CoalSwitch feedstock. The company will be hoping to showcase the plant’s capabilities to potential commercial partners, financiers, and government officials.
“With the Plant operational, AEG can now demonstrate the delivery of commercial quantities of CoalSwitch. This is clearly an inflection point in the development of our business and we are delighted to welcome a select group of parties to visit the Plant this week,” said Active Energy CEO Richard Spinks.
"We will arrange for many other organisations and potential partners to visit the Plant over the coming weeks and months as the Group expands its production capacity in Utah and elsewhere
"We believe that AEG's CoalSwitch biomass fuel technology can make a significant contribution to the environment globally due to its unique qualities and ability to be a direct drop-in fuel to the power industry. The fact that AEG can utilise multiple types of biomass and, most importantly, forestry waste and residuals waste wood, has generated interest from a multitude of prospective partners, including governments, corporates and utilities who all recognise the unique qualities and environmental credentials of CoalSwitch."
