Active Energy Group PLC (AIM:AEG, OTCQB:ATGVF) told investors it has been awarded a new US patent for its process for beneficiating and cleaning biomass.
The company, in a statement, noted that the patent grants it the rights to exclude others from making, using and selling any apparatus or system that includes the company's existing CoalSwitch production technology – including the use of a reaction vessel that increases exposure of biomass, using steam.
It complements earlier patents granted to Active Energy for CoalSwitch, it added.
“The award of this patent builds upon the original patent and increases Active Energy's ability to control the resulting fixed carbon content of the finished product,” said Barron Hewetson, Active Energy's chief technology officer.
“To simplify, our steam explosion unlocks pathways that weren't previously economically viable, and we are now able to strategically target industries and commercial sectors that were previously not available.
“We are expanding upon the ‘steam explosion’ process and capitalizing on the inherent synergy of other waste biomass and waste wood production systems in novel ways to drive future growth, notably in pre-treatment systems and alternate thermo treatment systems, including pyrolysis."
Active Energy highlights that CoalSwitch as a fuel has been shown to lifecycle CO2 emissions by up to 99% compared to coal and up to 97% compared to natural gas.
Importantly, it can be used to ‘co-fire’ alongside coal without the need for its customers to deploy significant capital expenditure on their plants, so has the potential to create major emission reductions.