Technology

Ambre Energy has developed two coal-to-liquid processes using low quality coal, which have outstanding commercial potential.

Hybrid energy system

The low temperature pyrolysis of coal in vertical retorts to produce synthetic crude oil and a high energy solid char product.

The company has a pilot retort in Eastern Utah which has a processing capacity of 24 tons of coal per day. A smaller-scale retorting facility in Melbourne, Australia is also used for testing and for provision of product samples.

A semi-commercial demonstration plant is currently being developed for the US Gulf Coast region to use some of the vast reserves of local lignite which are often unsuitable due to high moisture, low energy and high mercury levels.

The demonstration plant will include one or more retorts built to commercial scale (500 tons of lignite per day), and is scheduled to commence operation by 2010. The modular design of the retorts allows for relatively easy and inexpensive expansion of capacity.

Coal Gasification

The gasification of coal to produce clean power and a liquid fuel, dimethyl ether (DME) which is rapidly achieving recognition as a clean, viable, zero sulphur, zero particulate emissions replacement for petroleum fuels (particularly LPG and diesel) and petroleum-based plastics feedstocks.

A demonstration plant using this technology is proposed for construction at Felton near Toowoomba, Australia, and will be known as the Felton Clean Coal Project.