Dive Brief:

• Concord Blue has awarded Lockheed Martin Energy $43 million to design and build a 5-megawatt gasification plant that will convert forestry waste to energy in order to power homes and businesses in Herten, Germany.
• The plant will leverage Concord Blue's technology that uses heat transfer, which the company says does not generate toxic byproducts.
• Lockheed Martin and Concord Blue agreed to extend their partnership through 2026, with flexibility to extend beyond that date, enabling Lockheed Martin to stay on as engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for future projects. It also allows the company to remain the exclusive manufacturer of the Concord Blue technology used.

Dive Insight:

Concord Blue says its technology can convert almost any form of organic waste into renewable energy, which will make it easier to keep a consistent supply of feedstock.

Gasification in general is said to be a cleaner waste-to-energy alternative to incineration. The technology combines carbon-based feedstocks with oxygen to break them down into a usable energy resource, while removing pollutants.

This energy source, which reduces disposal costs and frees up landfill space, is gaining traction, especially as utilities are obligated to meet renewable energy targets. There are some innovative models to consider, though some are in their infancy. This year already, Florida has considered a gasification model proposed by Maryland's Energy3. And last month a Hawaii organization showcased a gasification system that processes animal and crop wastes, among other materials, with plans to eventually generate liquid jet fuel using waste.