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Greenpower Energy finalises deal with GE on new coal to liquids technology

Greenpower Energy has finalised an agreement with GE's Technology Ventures Group, a subsidiary of General Electric Company, to develop, for Australian use, GE's coal to liquids (CTL) process.

GE's CTL process uses microwave energy to heat the coal and to create plasma conditions to assist its chemical conversion to liquid hydrocarbons.

The Company's agreement with GE gives it the opportunity to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the CTL process, with an option to take a commercial license depending on the outcome of the evaluation.

As part of the evaluation phase, GPP will investigate the expected capital expenditure and production costs of building and operating a CTL plant using the GE CTL process to produce liquid hydrocarbons, as well as the anticipated greenhouse gas emissions of the process.

The GE process was developed using a variety of North American coals. In the second half of 2012 trials will be conducted on the Latrobe Valley brown coal with plans for GPP to construct a pilot plant in Australia in 2013. 

Under the agreement, Greenpower will evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the CTL process, with an option to take a commercial licence depending on the outcome of the evaluation.

As part of the evaluation phase, the company will investigate the expected capital expenditure and production costs of building and operating a CTL plant using the GE CTL process to produce liquid hydrocarbons, as well as the anticipated greenhouse gas emissions of the process.

According to the company and former test trials by EXXON in the 1980s, the Latrobe Valley coals have been used as feedstock for conversion to liquid hydrocarbons and organic chemicals since the 1980s and its behaviour is well known and well documented.

The physical and chemical characteristics of the Latrobe Valley brown coal are conducive to most conversion reactions.

These factors together with very low ash content render the Latrobe Valley brown coals one of the best feed stocks for conversion in the world.

Greenpower is now making progress on securing a reliable flow of brown coal feedstock. The company’s tenements in the Latrobe Valley contain substantial brown coal resources.

EL 4500, EL 4877 and EL 5227 cover lignite occurrences to the west of Moe township. Previous exploration by other companies has shown substantial lignite tonnages in a discrete basin covered by EL 4500 and EL 4877 (western part).

Developmental drilling on these tenements has identified a total of 567 million tonnes of brown coal at mineable depths. Importantly, it is also possible to obtain feedstock from existing mines.

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