- PharmAust’s (PAA) subsidiary, Epichem, has entered a licencing agreement with Thermaquatica to research, develop and promote waste-to-fuels technology
- The five-year agreement comes with an initial licence execution fee of US$25,000 (roughly A$32,000) and an annual licence fee of US$125,000 (around A$161,000)
- Epichem will advance Thermaquatica’s oxidative hydrothermal dissolution (OHD) technology using biomass and feedstock flow reactor material science
- The company is continuing to seek government grants and funding support to advance this initiative
- PhamAust is trading flat at 10 cents
PharmAust’s (PAA) subsidiary, Epichem, has entered a licencing agreement with Thermaquatica to research, develop and promote a waste-to-fuels technology.
The five-year agreement comes with an initial licence execution fee of US$25,000 (roughly A$32,000), with an annual licence fee of US$125,000 (around A$161,000).
Epichem will advance Thermaquatica’s oxidative hydrothermal dissolution (OHD) technology using biomass and feedstock flow reactor material science. The flow reactor is considered a world-first, harnessing the potential to turn a wide range of waste and biomass feedstock into valuable fuels, fine chemicals, agricultural growth stimulants and ethanol.
The technology is an invention from Thermaquatica Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Ken Anderson, under a licence agreement and patented intellectual property (IP). It has the potential to create new revenue streams from the removal of organic waste, conversion of organic waste to valuable end-user products and the reduction of landfill.
“The OHD technology will help support Australia’s focus on sovereign capability to produce our own ethanol for our PPE requirements, including the manufacture of hand sanitiser,” said Epichem CEO, Colin La Galia.
“It has the ability to support and sustain industries, provide innovative, disruptive technology in Australia, can be scaled up for a range of industry partners and create employment opportunities in WA and Australia.”
Epichem OHD is capitalising on recent Australian policies at national, state and local government levels towards zero organic waste to landfill.
The benchtop flow reactor will be carbon neutral, environmentally sustainable and uses oxygen and water at high temperature and pressure to break down input materials and form useful end products.
This flow reactor has the potential to convert plastic into renewable fuels, coal into diesel or agricultural bio-stimulants and trees into cellulosic ethanol. The flow reactor can also be used to enhance the process of carbon storage in soils.
“There are many things the flow reactor appears to be able to convert — we are eager to learn more of its capabilities and applications,” said Colin La Galia.
“The flow reactor could make a significant contribution in the capability to deal with waste and produce diesel, liquid fuels, biofuels, liquid fertilisers and biostimulants.”
Epichem was awarded a $200,000 WasteSorted eWaste Grant from the Western Australian Government New Industries Fund in January 2021 and continues to seek other fianancial support to advance this initiative.
PhamAust is trading flat at 10 cents at 12:15 pm AEDT.