W2 Energy Working on Solar-Powered Plasma Reactor
26 July 2007
W2 Energy Inc., the developer of a GAT (Gliding Arc Tornado) plasma reactor for gasification for power and fuels generation, is modifying its non-thermal plasma reactor technology to be powered by solar energy.
We believe that this technology could be the first of its kind in the gasification field. The units will be smaller, transportable reactors for use in remote or off-grid situations. The product will be developed in partnership with solar power companies with experience with applications ranging from 10-20 kilowatts. The company is presently in negotiations with several companies at the moment that fit these criteria.
By being able to power our reactor technology from alternate sources like solar, wind and small hydro, the product opens itself up to enormous possibilities in the oil field as well as remote areas where gridline power is just not available. Stranded natural gas wells and stranded coal bed methane deposits would now be converted to liquid fuels without using a significant portion of your product to power the system thus increasing efficiencies and creating a lower cost fuel from these types of resources.
—Michael McLaren, CEO
The project requires very little change to the current reactor technology and would allow the company to access a large market that was currently without competition without defocusing the company from current projects.
The good news is they're working on a way to use renewable energy and to produce a product for the petroleum market with lower losses and carbon emissions. The bad news is they're taking two very clean sources of energy--natural gas and electricity--and converting them into more-polluting liquid fuel for low-efficiency ICE engines. It would be better to make liquid natural gas, although people would complain about the higher vehicle costs. Maybe carbon adsorbed natural gas is the solution. The renewable electricity could otherwise be fed straight into PHEV's or displace coal on the grid.
Posted by: P Schager | 27 July 2007 at 09:42 AM
Alternative energy production uses for this technology? Can you use standard green-waste or AG feed-stock?
Posted by: Michael Barriere | 31 August 2007 at 08:44 PM
As far as i understand it they are going to be converting fossil fuels and biomass of all types into syngas , and a large portion of the carbon remains as a solid being converted into a humic acid type soil conditioner , which will lead to a build up of soil carbon and and vegetation . does this mean that fossil fuels can now be carbon negative ? If so it sounds like a great breakthrough .
Posted by: Dan T. | 10 September 2007 at 09:13 AM