LUMBERTON, N.C. and TULSA, Okla., April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TerraStar Energy and Emerging Fuels Technology (EFT) announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to license EFT’s Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and Maxx Jet/Maxx Diesel proprietary technology to build a fleet of FLEX plants; small-scale, modular renewable diesel facilities.
Each plant will produce six to ten million gallons of renewable diesel per year (MMGY). A typical plant converts 300 tons per day of biomass into 20,000 gallons of zero-sulfur, ASTM-grade D975 “drop-in” diesel which can go directly into a fuel tank.
FLEX plants owe their name to their flexibility of raw materials and their scalability, both of which enable them to convert solid biomass into liquid fuels via gasification. Flex plants are capable of producing renewable diesel and jet fuel, or both simultaneously onsite. The feedstocks can include a blend of waste wood from managed forests, construction waste, paper, cardboard, and other common household and commercial waste.
A major benefit of FLEX plants is their smaller size, requiring lower daily feedstock than the competition, as smaller plants are less susceptible to supply-chain interruptions. Shorter distances between the feedstock supply and the plant also reduce transportation costs. Flex plants are built closer to the suppliers and their customers, and make more sense than a single large facility. They are scaled according to the availability of inputs and consist of a number of individual, pre-engineered, and shop-built modules that can be delivered to the site and erected quickly.
“Every diesel plant operator’s goal is to never run short of raw materials, something that immediately affects productivity and the return on investment,” said Rob Redfearn, CEO of TerraStar. “Having plants in multiple locations, especially near customers, creates local jobs and spreads the substantial investment over a wider area. Using these modules also improves redundancy and reduces capital cost, enabling TerraStar customers to achieve an attractive internal rate of return (IRR).”
Construction times are as low as 12-18 months, greatly reducing the carrying costs of financing compared to larger plants which can take three years to complete. TerraStar hopes to shorten the turn-around times even more as they scale this technology. The Company’s long-term plan is to work with dozens and eventually hundreds of local owner / operators around North America, Africa and Central/South America where it has established relationships.
“We are excited to work with a nationally recognized developer in TerraStar, and look forward to demonstrating our technology platform capabilities in a commercial environment,” said Kenneth Agee, President of Emerging Fuels Technology. “We are hopeful that this partnership can serve as a blueprint for energy producers tasked with meeting today’s high energy demand while significantly reducing their carbon emissions in the process.”
One gallon of fossil diesel produces 22 pounds of CO2 when burned. A typical FLEX plant will reduce the amount of CO2 accumulation by up to 77,000 tons per year. By-products of fuel production are carbon-rich solids that sequester carbon when used as soil amendments. In many cases, the Company’s FLEX plants will have a negative carbon footprint.
“Our business plan is to attract operating partners around the world and build as many plants as possible, as quickly as possible. The more FLEX plants we build, the more we will reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere,” concluded Redfearn.
About TerraStar
Established in 2011, TerraStar Energy is a developer of waste-to-energy facilities. The company believes that deploying smaller plants closer to the feedstock and closer to the customer is a cost-effective solution to making renewable energy widely available. Using arrays of anaerobic digesters and gasifiers their projects are designed to produce energy from a wide variety of feedstock at an affordable cost. TerraStar’s projects are 100% scalable using modular components and standardized operating plans and are designed and sized according to feedstock availability. The company’s leadership includes former senior executives from well-recognized companies and organizations, plus many dedicated engineers and scientists. TerraStar’s growth plan utilizes local partners to co-own and manage individual plants. The whole team is committed to deploying solutions to meet the world’s growing energy demand while reducing greenhouse gases and pollution. Visit www.TerraStarEnergy.com
About Emerging Fuels Technology
Established in 2007 and led by experienced executives who have committed their careers to sustainable energy and technology development, Emerging Fuels Technology is a rapidly growing technology company focused on methods for producing synthetic fuels and chemicals from a variety of feedstocks such as natural gas, flared gas, biogas, biomass, municipal solid waste, CO2 and more. EFT is one of the world's foremost authorities on Fischer-Tropsch and related synthesis. Visit www.emergingfuels.com
Media contacts:
TerraStar Energy:
Rob Redfearn (CEO) Mobile: 910-734-9953 . Email: Rob@TerraStarEnergy.cm
Emerging Fuels Technology
Tumisang Tlhabiwe
FischTank PR
eft@fischtankpr.com
