The National Energy Resources Organization (NERO) recently awarded Raytheon the 2009 Technology Innovation Award for recent work in the areas of renewable energy and green technology. Presented by Rep. Ralf Hall (R-Texas), this award recognizes Raytheon’s commitment to applying our talented people and technology to find innovative solutions to keep our world safe and clean.
“Raytheon and its partners are leading the way in taking on the technological challenges of dealing with carbon dioxide,” said Rep. Hall. “It really is exciting technology and I’m confident with Raytheon working on these issues, it’ll help get them solved.”
Accepting the award on behalf of Raytheon were John Cogliandro, senior program manager of Integrated Defense Systems' (IDS') Mission Innovation and Frank Prautzsch from Network Centric Systems.
Carbon Recycling Efforts
Prautzsch’s work in carbon recycling involves using open and closed bed photobioreactors to raise algae using carbon dioxide (CO2) flue gas as a feeder. The algae is then used to form biodiesel and other products. Raytheon has partnered with A2BE Carbon Capture, Boulder, Colo.; Sapphire Energy, San Diego, Calif.; Accelergy, Houston, Texas; and The University of California-Riverside/Veresco, Riverside, Calif., on the project.
“I am excited to accept this award on behalf of Raytheon,” said Prautzsch. “The potential for algae fuel is incredible. It is more efficient, has less carbon emissions, is lighter, and has greater energy density than conventional fossil fuels. The exciting thing is that algae thrive on CO2 emissions from burning coal in power plants or coal-to-liquids plants (and other CO2 emitters), and can be used in a variety of products such as food proteins, plastics and fuels."
New Technique to Sequester Greenhouse Gas
Cogliandro is currently developing a new patented disruptive technique to sequester carbon dioxide greenhouse gas using radio frequency (RF) energy and Aerogel catalysts to convert the CO2 to a solid in underground formations. Raytheon has partnered with CF Technologies of Hyde Park, Mass., to develop this technology.
“This is the IDS Dual V Innovation model in action,” said Cogliandro. “As funding and technology partners come alongside and with the combined expertise from Raytheon, this can become a world-changing disruptive solution to a very complex problem.”
NERO is a non-partisan, non-lobby, 501C organization whose mission is to engage in dialogue on energy issues and to recognize outstanding achievements in the advancement of energy policies. Other award recipients recognized for their achievements in energy and sustainability initiatives that evening include ElectriCities of North Carlina, Whole Foods and Kentucky Power. Congressman John Dingell was also recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
