ETC2 Locates Partner to Speed Commercialization
of Innovative EPA Emissions Technology
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Chemical Engineering developed a promising biological process that efficiently converts toxic sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in power plant stack gases to harmless elemental sulfur and nitrogen gas, which is likely to be more economical than the SCR-based technology. Tasked with locating industry partners to work with EPA and the University of Cincinnati to speed commercialization of this Bio-DeNOx technology, Battelle’s Environmental Technology Commercialization Center (ETC2) identified Corus Consulting and Technical Services—a full subsidiary of the international metal producer Corus—as a promising candidate. Corus Consulting and Technical Services, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has developed and demonstrated a biological process similar to EPA’s Bio-DeNOx technology. ETC2 discussions led to an interest by Corus Consulting in working with EPA and ETC2 to further develop the biological denitrification technology. ETC2 project team discussions with Corus Consulting representatives in November of 1999 in the Netherlands were followed by a week-long series of meetings with electric utility companies in the United States in April 2000. These meetings culminated in the recent signing of a Bio-DeNOx technology demonstration agreement at the 70MW J.B. Sims power-generating station in Grand Haven, Michigan. Corus Consulting and the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power, an independent, publicly owned utility, released a joint announcement of the innovative demonstration project. In general, the total savings on investment for a full scale industrial Bio-DeNOx process is expected to be at least 80% compared to Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology currently being installed at many U.S. power generation facilities. The combination of U.S. EPA’s expertise and knowledge, along with Corus Consulting and Technical Services’s extensive experience with Bio- DeNOx systems will be recognized under a licensing agreement currently under negotiation with U.S. EPA. This innovative public and private partnership, facilitated by ETC2, illustrates the value federal technologies can bring to the private sector marketplace. This Bio-DeNOx technology has the potential to achieve substantial monetary savings for America’s electric utilities industry while solving a significant pollution emission problem. The implementation of the Bio-DeNOx technology at the J.B. Sims generating station will require about three months of preparation time and the technology will continue to be demonstrated until April 2002. ETC2 will continue to work with Corus Consulting and Technical Services to complete licensing of the EPA technology and to provide other assistance as deemed appropriate for the introduction of this cost saving and innovative technology. ETC2 performs a variety of activities to help identify the best business partners for EPA developed technologies. To learn more about ETC2, visit www.etc2.org. For more information, contact Joseph Jasper at (216) 898-6409, jasper@battelle.org. 
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In order to meet new federal regulatory requirements, U.S. power plants must find a way to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Proven emission reduction methods are limited. America’s electric utilities are moving toward implementing costly existing Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology. 