The transition from a promising bench-scale lab concept with minimum funding, to obtaining funding to prove out a feedstock in a full-scale operation, often requires a creative solution to reduce feasibility testing costs and technologies. Many concepts, like new methods of processing a feedstock into biofuel, never make it to market because commercial-scale proof-of-concept testing is out of reach. And until now, the more cost-effective option of testing new processes in an existing facility has not been available in a way that protects intellectual property. Not anymore.

After completing the first of a three-phased program assisting a new customer with this challenge—at a fraction of the cost to build their own system—Greenbelt Resources Corp., a producer of sustainable energy production systems, has launched an innovative program offering use of its operating commercial-scale facility to third parties for feedstock feasibility testing services. The services are available confidentially for all customers and address sensitivities regarding customer IP rights.

Greenbelt’s recently completed client tests are the first of three phases. The initial phase occurred under the terms of a service contract and consisted of several initial fermentation batches of a promising new feedstock. The next phase will focus on distillation and dehydration of the converted feedstock and is expected to commence by the start of the second quarter. The final phase is anticipated to begin this summer and will continue into 2016. This initial testing project establishes the model on which future feedstock feasibility testing services are being offered.

“Many of our new customers and potential partners introduce new feedstocks, new feedstock processing techniques, or both. The design of the Greenbelt Resources facility allows for easy integration of their processes thus providing the capability to demonstrate commercial-scale processing of a multitude of feedstocks,” explains Darren Eng, CEO of Greenbelt Resources. “While our testing capabilities help validate customer processes, they also demonstrate the benefit of our modular system design, which takes advantage of local resources to locally produce sellable products. In fact, our system is especially beneficial in developing countries where all of the output products will add value to the community. We anticipate successful tests will lead to customer purchases of commercial-scale systems designed and built by Greenbelt Resources.”