Recently Houston-based Waste Management Inc. along with the oil and gas giant NRG Energy Inc. and two additional companies so as to form a venture dedicated to producing renewable fuels and chemicals.
The four companies, including the Pasadena-based Ventech Engineers International LLC and energy technology company Velocys, based in Abingdon, U.K. partnered to develop smaller-scale gas-to-liquids technology using gas emitted from waste refuse in landfills.
The vice president of corporate venturing for Waste Management, Joe Vallancourt, explained that the venture would take advantage of each of the company’s strengths: “Velocys’ leading smaller-scale GTL technology, Ventech’s engineering capabilities, and NRG’s clean energy development expertise.”
The involvement of NRG would include the company’s ability to acquire large quantities of natural gas, and the company’s ability to transport the natural gas.
Velocys, which has a presence in Houston, has developed a chemical reactor that mixes a number of gases produced by landfills and then continues to turn the gasses into liquid hydrocarbons.
Due to its engineering background, Ventech, will be the engineering contractor on the project.
With regard to landfills, Waste Management, will supply the landfills.
The technology related to this new venture has been in use for over a year. Waste Management first facility demonstrating the technology has been running in East Oak landfill in Oklahoma.
Although the facility has been running for a year, it is also under development. The venture is still considering whether to proceed with the project, and will decide later in 2014.
The four companies, including the Pasadena-based Ventech Engineers International LLC and energy technology company Velocys, based in Abingdon, U.K. partnered to develop smaller-scale gas-to-liquids technology using gas emitted from waste refuse in landfills.
The vice president of corporate venturing for Waste Management, Joe Vallancourt, explained that the venture would take advantage of each of the company’s strengths: “Velocys’ leading smaller-scale GTL technology, Ventech’s engineering capabilities, and NRG’s clean energy development expertise.”
The involvement of NRG would include the company’s ability to acquire large quantities of natural gas, and the company’s ability to transport the natural gas.
Velocys, which has a presence in Houston, has developed a chemical reactor that mixes a number of gases produced by landfills and then continues to turn the gasses into liquid hydrocarbons.
Due to its engineering background, Ventech, will be the engineering contractor on the project.
With regard to landfills, Waste Management, will supply the landfills.
The technology related to this new venture has been in use for over a year. Waste Management first facility demonstrating the technology has been running in East Oak landfill in Oklahoma.
Although the facility has been running for a year, it is also under development. The venture is still considering whether to proceed with the project, and will decide later in 2014.
