Lockheed Martin’s new bioenergy facility uses oxygen-free, flame-free process

Lockheed Martin, an American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company, has recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of its new bioenergy facility in Owego, New York. It uses Concord Blue’s advanced technology system that converts waste into clean, renewable energy.

“This new bioenergy technology can change the way our world addresses clean energy and waste management challenges,” said Frank Armijo, vice president of Lockheed Martin Energy.  “At our bioenergy facility in Owego, we’re able to reduce our own energy costs while also demonstrating the groundbreaking capability of our technology to potential users.”

Lockheed Martin has already successfully demonstrated the end-to-end capability of the new system. A demonstration has validated the system’s effectiveness and its ability to convert waste material into energy for the company’s Owego operations, where it designs and builds space-flight hardware, military helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

This self-sustaining system transforms waste into electricity through a process called advanced gasification with the following four key steps:

• Waste Collection: Wood-waste, municipal solid waste, industrial waste and more can be collected and used as input. TheOwego facility will initially use wood-waste, with plans to transition to municipal, commercial or industrial waste to create its power in the future.
• Waste Conditioning: Metal, glass and other materials are removed, and the waste is dried to specification.
• Gas Creation: Proprietary heat carrier spheres are heated and mixed in with the organic waste. Once a certain temperature is reached, the solid waste turns into gas, which then travels to a reforming vessel where the gas is turned into synthesis gas (syngas).
• Power Generation: The syngas is then used to fuel a combustion engine that produces electricity. Alternatively, the syngas can also be used to produce hydrogen and biofuels.

The process is also oxygen-free and flame-free, unlike incineration. This means no harmful byproducts are produced, emissions are limited and waste going to landfills is greatly reduced.

With the experience they have gained through the development of the Owego bioenergy facility, Lockheed Martin and Concord Blue recently began construction on a bioenergy plant in Herten, Germany. The facility will convert 50,000 tons of feedstock per year into 5 MW (megawatts) of energy output, enough to power about 5,000 local homes and businesses.

Concord Blue’s unique technology benefits the environment, fulfilling all international, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and European regulations for renewable energy and air emissions. Concord Blue operates globally, with offices in the United States, Germany and India.

Lockheed Martin Energy is a line of business within Lockheed Martin that delivers comprehensive solutions across the energy industry to include demand response solutions, energy efficiency, energy storage, nuclear systems, ocean energy technologies and bioenergy generation.