Calgary, Alberta-based plasma gasification specialist Alter NRG posted a US$6.2 million loss for third quarter 2010, compared to a $6.9 million loss for 3Q 2009.

Washington, D.C.-based Solena Group announced November 9 that it signed a Fischer-Tropsch technology agreement with Rentech for a proposed synthetic bio-jet-fuel project in the United Kingdom.

Vancouver, B.C.-based Nexterra Systems on October 26 released test results on its biomass gasification system. Tests indicate the gasification system meets or beats natural gas and traditional wood combustion on criteria emissions.

U.S.-based biomass energy specialist Clenergen announced November 4 that it signed a memo of understanding with Ghana Manganese Co. aiming to install a 2-megaWatt gasification biomass power plant operating on gas engines on their mining site in Nsuta Wassaw.

Fearing a continuation of Russian natural gas supply cutoffs and sky-high gas prices, Ukraine-based Komsomolsk Gasification Project is planning a lignite gasification scheme for direct reduced iron production.

Natural gas, ULSD prices rise; coal falls.

Gasification projects continue to grow around the world.

Opti Canada announced October 28 that it posted a Cdn$46 million (US$44.8 million) loss for third-quarter 2010 because of “operational interruptions” in its “Long Lake” oil-sands project.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne continues to make progress in development of its novel compact gasifier – a technology that promises to slash the capital cost of the gasification island 50% compared to conventional technologies.

Removing subsidies that favor fossil-fuel consumption would “make a big contribution” to cutting the growth of “greenhouse gas” (GHG) emissions while also helping countries meet “energy security” goals, according to the latest International Energy Agency (IEA) “World Energy Outlook 2010” report.

Duke Energy on November 8 fired former president Mike Reed and former Indiana Regulatory Utility Commission (IURC) attorney Scott Storms (who later went to work at Duke) over alleged ethics conflicts relating to cases pending before the IURC.

Getting finance for big gasification projects in North America continues to look dicey because of today’s economic gloom, relatively cheap natural gas and a lack of political will for “greenhouse gas” legislation.

Idemitsu Kosan would supply carbon dioxide (CO2) for a proposed offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Japan, starting as early as next year.

A field test sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy shows that “opportunities to permanently store carbon in unmineable seams of lignite may be more widespread than previously documented.”

Prodded by government worries about “greenhouse” emissions, Norway-based SINTEF researchers are launching an investigation into potential problems with amine-based carbon dioxide (CO2) capture because “it has been acknowledged for many years that amine-based CO2 capture can result in the emission of nitrosamines, which may be harmful to health.”

Siemens announced October 27 that it won a contract from SNC-Lavalin to deliver two vapor compressors for a post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur oxides (SO2) capture plant at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station near Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada.