‘Clean power’ demo

Last month, NET Power, LLC (Durham, N.C.; www.net-power.com) announced the completion of major project agreements for its first-of-a-kind power plant — a 50-MWth demonstration plant that will validate the world’s first natural-gas power generation system that produces no air emissions, and includes full CO2 capture without requiring expensive, efficiency-reducing carbon-capture equipment. The $140 million project is funded by a combination of cash and in-kind contributions from Exelon Corp. (Chicago, Ill.) and CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com). Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.toshiba.co.jp), following several years of development and testing, has begun manufacturing a novel supercritical-CO2 turbine for the project. Operations, maintenance and development arrangements have been completed with Exelon. Contracts for plant engineering, procurement and construction are in place with CB&I. The inventor of the technology, 8 Rivers Capital, LLC (Durham, N.C.; www.8riverscapital.com), will provide continued technology development services and the intellectual property for the project. The plant will be built at a site in Texas, with commissioning expected to begin in 2016, and be completed in 2017. Design and development…