Press Release

 

July 26, 2007

UTAH'S FIRST RURAL-ANCHORED CENTER OF EXCELLENCE GRANTED TO HELPER'S WESTERN ENERGY TRAINING CENTER

CLEAN COKE PILOT PLANT UNDERWAY IN HELPER, UT., FOUR FULL-SCALE OPERATIONS ANTICIPATED TO FOLLOW BY 2010

Contact:
CEU's WETC -
Dr. Robert Topping, Ed.D.
Program Coordinator
435-613-5504
bob.topping@ceu.edu

Terra Systems -
Clayton Timothy, CEO
801-319-5567
terrasystems@earthlink.net

Combustion Resources -
Dr. Craig Eatough, President
801-370-0654
ceatough@crllc.com

Helper, UT: A new clean coke pilot plant using coal fines and historically marginal locally mined coals is being established, with the collaboration of industry and education, on site at the College of Eastern Utah's Western Energy Training Center (WETC) in Helper to manufacture high-grade carbon (coke) briquettes. 

"There is a labor shortage in the energy industry that is projected to only deepen as the current employee base moves into retirement and demand continues to grow," noted Dr. Ryan Thomas, President of the College of Eastern Utah (CEU). "Our mission as an educational institution, coupled with the region's history and future prospects for energy development of virtually every type, led us to pursue this opportunity. Our goal at the Center is to help create the good-paying, year-round energy jobs so badly needed throughout rural areas of the West," he said.

Due to the synergy created by the collaboration of industries and educational organizations, WETC was awarded a Center of Excellence grant to support the funding for the pilot plant. The project will help to establish a firm basis for commercial production of value-added carbon reductants (Clean Coke) at costs well below current available products. The plant will also provide hands-on training for process technology students as it assists in developing a skilled workforce.

Dr. Robert Topping, Ed.D, WETC Coordinator noted that "This is a wonderful example that shows how industry and education can come together to make great impacts. 

With the combination of raw coal material resources in Eastern Utah, Combustion Resource's patent pending Clean Coke Technology, and the design and process control experts at WETC, the cooperation has created a dynamic partnership."

The industrial companies involved in this project are Terra Systems, Inc, Combustion Resources, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, WestCAMP Inc, Mountain Island Energy LLC (a subsidiary of Terra Systems, Inc.), and National Centers of Excellence. Educational organizations involved include the College of Eastern Utah's WETC, Brigham Young University, and Utah Valley State College.

Once the pilot plant proves the process to be successful, the plant will then be duplicated on a larger scale to create a full-scale production plant, which will then be followed by the roll-out of three additional full-scale production plants. Combustion Resources owns the intellectual property for the patent pending Clean Coke Technology, which is exclusively licensed to Terra Systems Inc. CEU's WETC will own the intellectual property for the process and control systems. 

Topping said that this “will potentially bring more funds to the College in the form of royalties”.  Topping added that “the successful commercialization of this Clean Coke technology will fuel the Utah economy by stimulating rural Utah with a new industry”. 

Topping also held that “job creation will be accomplished in two ways: Industrial partners will build and operate a full-scale production facility in Utah and since the US coke market is less than 10% of the total world market, the demand for Clean Coke will drive the manufacture of the modular units for distribution around the world.”

Media interested in covering the Super Tour should contact Karin Odendahl-Zmerzlikar:
435-613-5518 or at
karin.odendahl@ceu.edu.

Western Energy Training Center - www.westernenergytraining.org  

Terra Systems – www.tsyi.com  

Combustion Resources – www.combutionresources.com

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