(Oil & Gas 360) – Tony Robbins has applied his prodigious power of positive thinking to possibly resuscitate old coal plants with their coal while eliminating emissions. The technology purportedly converts coal into hydrogen, powering old coal-fired plants.
The scientist luring Robbins to invest $200 million into the premise is Simon Hodson, whose prior work with coal titan Consol Energy in 2017 is said to have piqued Robbins’ interest.
Hodson and Consol had built a facility then touted as a first-of-its-kind solid energy refinery. The facility processes waste coal to remove mineral matter and produce clean carbon fuel. The mineral residue is then applied as fertilizer to generate what the company says was proof over several years of improving soil health for agriculture.
For the latest venture, meeting Hodson introduced Robbins to Hodson’s “quantum reformers,” which separate hydrogen and synthetic graphite from coal under high heat. Hodson has re-opened the Pleasant Plains Power Station in southwest West Virginia; Robbins owns a 50% stake.
The ability to use fossil fuels with their energy density and readily available access while eliminating emissions has emerged as a sort of Holy Grail for curtailing greenhouse gases without raising energy costs or lessening reliability.
The concept has received a warm reception in coal-friendly West Virginia, which produces less than 15% of the country’s coal (following Wyoming, with about 40% share).
State and local officials are permitting projects and papering up loans, and the state’s governor, Jim Justice, himself its successful coal industry veteran, has been openly supportive of Hodson’s efforts.
Hodson claims to be able to produce a ton of hydrogen without carbon emissions for under $20 compared to the generally accepted cost of $5,000 per ton.
Despite the support in West Virginia, the company failed to get approval from the Department of Energy (DOE) for an $800 million loan. The DOE said there had not been enough field testing on the reliability of the technology to approve the loan application. Overall costs for the project are estimated at $975 million.
While Omnis is the company Hodson started, Nansen Salari, a former Saudi Aramco executive, is president of its technology. Salari says DOE officials are expected to see the technology in action before the end of the year.
By Jim Felton for oil&gas360.com
