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Nexterra signs bioenergy research agreement with UBC

Nexterra Systems Corp. and the University of British Columbia will work together on a project to assess the potential for a new, lower cost catalytic process for removing tars from the synthetic gas produced by Nexterra’s biomass gasification technology.

Work on the project to develop an advanced method of conditioning synthetic gas will be done both at UBC and at Nexterra’s product development centre in Kamloops, B.C.

“This agreement is a critical first step toward developing research projects that leverage UBC’s strengths in clean energy research with Nexterra’s world-class expertise in biomass gasification,” said John Hepburn, UBC’s vice-president research and international. “UBC’s Vancouver campus will be a living laboratory for this project.”

This project is the first formal research agreement between Nexterra and UBC to come out of a joint Nexterra and UBC initiative announced in February 2010 that includes installation of a new biomass combined heat and power plant on UBC’s Point Grey campus, as well as a range of teaching, learning and research initiatives.

“We are excited to begin this new chapter in our relationship with Nexterra,” said John Grace, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Clean Energy Processes. “Biomass gasification has untapped potential for the development and commercialization of new synthetic bioenergy fuels and products.

Nexterra Systems is a leading supplier of biomass gasification solutions that generate renewable heat, power and syngas for institutional and industrial customers.