News
Consulting firm tests Nexterra’s gasifier emissions

Oct. 26, 2010, Vancouver – Nexterra Systems Corp. has
released the results of an air emissions report developed by Levelton
Consultants Ltd., an engineering and scientific consulting firm that
specializes in air quality assessment and management. The Levelton study
compared air emissions test results from Nexterra’s gasification plants with
comparable emissions data from conventional combustion plants located in the
United States and Canada. The report confirms that Nexterra’s facilities
produce “best in class” air emissions when compared with conventional biomass
combustion technologies. For certain types of emissions, the plants were also
found to produce emissions that were equivalent to or lower than natural gas
combustion.

Key findings are as follows:

• Carbon
  monoxide (CO) emissions from Nexterra’s systems are less than 2% of the CO
  emissions from the biomass combustion systems surveyed and are equivalent
  to or lower than emissions associated with the fossil fuel generation
  facilities surveyed.
• Volatile
  organic compound (VOC) emissions from Nexterra’s systems are less than 3%
  of the VOC emissions from the biomass combustion systems surveyed and are
  equivalent to or lower than emissions associated with the fossil fuel
  generation facilities surveyed.
• Particulate
  matter (PM) emissions from Nexterra’s systems are equivalent to or better
  than the best emissions performance demonstrated by biomass combustion
  systems. In addition, Nexterra’s systems exhibit characteristics that make
  them amenable to good control of PM levels.
• Nitrogen
  oxides (NOx) emissions from Nexterra’s systems are lower than the U.S.
  Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) AP-42 air emissions regulatory
  factors for biomass systems and, when coupled with selective non-catalytic
  reduction (SNCR) technology, can reduce NOx to levels comparable to
  low-NOx natural gas combustion systems.
• Nexterra
  systems can achieve PM and CO thresholds for the U.S. EPA’s proposed
  Boiler MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technologies) rules for both Area
  and Major Source categories.

To view the executive summary of the report, click here:
Emissions and Technology Review of Selected Biomass Conversion Systems.

“Nexterra has achieved impressive air emissions results at
its commercial biomass gasification facilities,” says Alex Schutte,
vice-president environment and energy with Levelton.

“Making the shift away from fossil fuels towards
low-emission energy is crucial for us to meet our climate change goals,” says
Gregor Robertson, mayor of Vancouver. “The technical breakthrough achieved by
Nexterra means that biomass energy can play a critical role in helping
Vancouver and cities around the world achieve their sustainability targets
without compromising air quality.”

Air emissions from Nexterra systems are routinely tested by
qualified third parties at customer sites and at the company’s product
development centre.