W. R. Grace receives three-year, US$3M grant from DOE to develop advanced post-combustion technologies for capturing carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants

Mathew Kearney

Mathew Kearney

COLUMBIA, Maryland , September 6, 2011 (press release) – W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE:GRA - News) has been selected to receive a three-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop advanced post-combustion technologies for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from coal-fired power plants.

Existing technologies to capture and separate CO2 from power plants require large amounts of energy for their operation (20% to 30% of the power produced by the plant) and can raise electricity prices by as much as 85%. The goal of this project is to capture at least 90% of power plant CO2 emissions, while minimizing electricity cost increases.

Grace and its research partners will work to develop a cost-effective CO2 capture process known as rapid pressure swing adsorption (rPSA), which utilizes rapid pressure changes to capture and release CO2. Grace will coordinate the activities of a synergistic team consisting of Battelle (world renowned for process R&D and scale-up), Catacel Corp. (innovator in coated metal foil structures) and the University of South Carolina (known worldwide for PSA process R&D) to work on this challenge.

“We are thrilled to begin collaborating with such high caliber partners on developing clean coal technologies,” said George Young, Grace Davison’s Vice President of Business Development. “Grace has a long history of pioneering process adsorbents that offer superior performance in many different applications. This grant further validates our technological leadership and our commitment to sustainability.”

Grace has over five decades of experience developing and manufacturing adsorbents for a variety of industrial applications, including: Sodasorb® CO2 adsorbents for anesthesiology and re-breathing applications; TriSyl® adsorbents for biodiesel purification; Sylobead® process adsorbents used in petrochemical and natural gas processes; and, PHONOSORB® molecular sieve adsorbents that remove water and solvents from dual pane windows.

This grant is one of 16 projects—valued at $41 million over three years—funded by the Department of Energy that focus on reducing the energy and cost penalties associated with applying currently available carbon capture technologies to existing and new power plants.

This is the second grant awarded to Grace from the Department of Energy in the past year. Grace was selected in September 2010 to receive up to $3.3 million for the evaluation and enhancement of advanced biofuel technologies.

About Battelle

As the world’s largest independent research and development organization, Battelle provides innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing needs through its four global businesses: Health and Life Sciences; Laboratory Management; National Security; and Energy, Environment and Material Sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by conducting $6.5 billion in global R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle oversees 22,000 employees in more than 130 locations worldwide, including seven national laboratories which Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a nuclear energy lab in the United Kingdom. Battelle also is one of the nation’s leading charitable trusts focusing on societal and economic impact and actively supporting and promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

About Grace

Grace is a leading global supplier of catalysts and other products to petroleum refiners; catalysts for the manufacture of plastics; silica-based engineered and specialty materials for a wide range of industrial applications; sealants and coatings for food and beverage packaging, and specialty chemicals, additives and building materials for commercial and residential construction. Founded in 1854, Grace has operations in over 40 countries. For more information, visit Grace’s website at www.grace.com.

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