Japan partners with Wyoming Infrastructure Authority to test making concrete from coal emissions

Japan and a team of American researchers based at the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA) are investigating ways of capturing carbon dioxide from coal plant emissions to make building materials such as concrete by advancing carbon recycling technology.

The WIA has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL), GreenOre Clean Tech LLC and Columbia University to bring a new research project to the Wyoming Integrated Test Center. The test is to be funded by JCOAL with additional support from project partners. 

“Global challenges require global solutions,” said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. “Ensuring we advance and perfect technologies that can make our energy resources more efficient, cheaper and cleaner will require bringing together partners from across the country and around the world. I’m pleased Wyoming can continue to collaborate with Japan in bringing another promising testing project to the Cowboy State.”

GreenOre Clean Tech, employing a carbon utilization and carbon recycling technology under license from Columbia University, will utilise testing space at the ITC in Gillette, Wyoming. The ITC provides space for scientists and researchers to test carbon management technologies using the carbon emissions from an active coal fired power plant.

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“The Wyoming ITC is a first-class facility that continues to draw interest from researchers working to advance carbon management solutions,” said Jason Begger, WIA’s Executive Director. “We are excited to expand our partnership with Japan and bring an additional tenant to the ITC.”
 
The State of Wyoming and JCOAL have been working together since 2016, when former Wyoming Governor Matt Mead and Osamu Tsukamoto, President of JCOAL, signed an initial MOU committing to cooperation in coal research and development of technologies and coal trade. 

JCOAL operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and is supported by more than 120-member coal-related businesses, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Nippon Steel and Toshiba. The organization works to promote overall coal activities, from coal mining to the field of coal utilization, toward a stable energy supply, sustainable economic growth and the reduction of global environment emissions. Kawasaki is slated to test their solid sorbent capture technology at the ITC beginning in 2021.