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Salt Lake small business receives EPA research contract

Release Date: 3/10/2005
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Denver -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Emery Energy Company of Salt Lake City, Utah, received $70,000 from the Small Business Innovation Research contracts program. Emery Energy, a woman-owned business, was chosen from a pool of 363 applicants from across the country.

Municipal Solid Waste, woody by-products, myriads of farm and agriculture by-products, waste tires, and low-quality fuel sources can all be converted to useful clean energy using gasification technology. Keeping these materials out of a landfill is both economically and environmentally sound, especially with the increasing costs of landfill resources and more stringent solid waste disposal regulations.

The gasification of coal and petroleum coke into useful energy can be done using “entrained-flow gasification” – a proven technology for efficient and clean conversion into “synthesis gas." However, entrained-flow gasifiers generally are generally not suitable for smaller-scale operations or coarse feedstocks such as MSW and biomass. Emery is developing and optimizing a gasification process that can accommodate the wide variations in fuel composition and physical characteristics. Emery's gasifier aims to destroy the tars and oils that are typically produced by non-entrained flow gasifiers. Emery’s technology aims to reducing operating costs, improve the adsorption and removal of acid gases, and, prevent the generation of waste waters; all while producing a clean syngas that can be immediately burned in a reciprocating engine or gas turbine to generate electricity. The syngas can also be used to produce clean liquid fuels and hydrogen. Unlike wind and solar energy, biomass can be used to create multiple products, hence its important role as a renewable fuel.

The 22 million small businesses in the United States employ about 51 percent of the private work force and develop most of the country’s new technologies. Years ago, Congress recognized the need to strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development and passes a law creating the Small Business Innovation Research program for businesses with no more than 500 employees. EPA’s highly competitive SBIR program offers critical financial support to small businesses to develop the best, new, innovative technologies. EPA’s SBIR program focuses on important areas related to environmental protection, including clean air and water, hazardous and solid wastes, pollution prevention, remediation, and monitoring,. Recent issues include homeland security, clean-up technologies, and technology solutions for specific environmental needs.

To learn more about these research projects and EPA’s SBIR program, visit: www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.

EPA relies on quality science as the basis for sound policy and decision-making. EPA’s laboratories, research centers, and grantees are building the scientific foundation needed to support the Agency’s mission to safeguard human health and the environment.