US-based global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin has opened a new bioenergy plant designed to convert waste into clean, renewable energy for its facility in Owego, New York.
The self-sustaining system uses Concord Blue’s advanced technology, which helps meet all international, Environmental Protection Agency, and European regulations for renewable energy and air emissions.
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Lockheed Martin Energy's vice-president Frank Armijo said: “This new bioenergy technology can change the way our world addresses clean energy and waste management challenges.
“At our bioenergy facility in Owego, we’re able to reduce our own energy costs while also demonstrating the groundbreaking capability of our technology to potential users.”
Prior to inaugurating the new facility, the company has successfully demonstrated the new system’s end-to-end capability of transforming waste material into electricity. The company will initially use wood waste to create its power before swapping to municipal, commercial, or industrial waste in the future. The process will involve collecting waste and drying it to specification after the removal of metal, glass and other materials.
With the help of a process called advanced gasification, proprietary heat carrier spheres are heated and mixed in with the organic waste. Upon reaching a certain temperature, the solid waste turns into gas, which goes into a reforming vessel where it is turned into synthesis gas (syngas). This syngas is used to fuel a combustion engine, which produces electricity. It can also be used to produce hydrogen and biofuels.
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By GlobalDataThis oxygen and flame-free process does not produce any harmful byproducts, while generating limited emissions and reduced waste to landfills.
At Owego facility, Lockheed designs and manufactures space-flight hardware, military helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft.
Image: Lockheed Martin opens bioenergy plant in Owego. Photo: courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
