the Energy to Lead
Fossil fuels became the major resource in the
GTI brings broad experience
and capabilities across a
range of energy sources
and fuels.
Renewable Energy Sources
> Solar
> Biomass (energy crops,
agricultural residue, forest
products)
> Biogas (animal manure,
wastewater treatment
plants, landfills)
Alternative Fuels
> Compressed natural gas
(CNG)
> Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
> Renewable biogas
> Synthesis gas (syngas)
> Substitute natural gas
(SNG)
> Hydrogen
> Synthetic propane
> Ethanol
> Butanol
> Dimethyl Ether (DME)
Alternative and Renewable Energy
energy market during the 20th century—due in
part to their abundance and low cost. Corpora-
tions invested heavily in developing coal, oil and
natural gas infrastructure, which enabled all sectors
of the economy to benefit.
There is a need to diversify our energy supply.
Current levels of domestically produced oil cannot
satisfy North America’s energy demands. Depend-
ence on imported oil continues to grow. Yet, in
today’s geo-political climate, imported energy can
trigger price instability, potential disruptions
in supply and rising trade deficits. In
addition, environmental concerns are
driving increased interest in renew-
able fuel options, to augment fossil
fuel products.
Alternative and renewable energy
resources which are produced
domestically can supplement traditional
domestic oil and natural gas resources.
Examples include abundant coal resources
and various renewable energy sources—
such as solar energy, biomass, and biogas.
These supply-based solutions comple-
ment conservation (demand-based)
approaches, including waste-heat
recovery and deployment of more
efficient technologies.
Advanced technologies can use
domestic energy sources cleanly,
efficiently and affordably—particularly
in the challenging sectors of power genera-
tion and transportation. Emerging technologies to produce re-
newable methane can leverage the country’s extensive natural
gas infrastructure and provide an economical option to reduce
the carbon footprint for residential, commercial, and industrial
sectors while insulating consumers from supply disruptions.
GTI SOLUTIONS
GTI has been a leader in alternative energy for more than 50 years—
long before the demand for alternative resources began to peak.
During that time, GTI has brought scores of technologies to the market-
place. Growing demand for technologies that utilize renewable fuels has
created interest in our efforts to develop these energy solutions. We are
currently working on practical solutions that include:

Alternative and Renewable Energy Supply

Production
> Gasification of coal and biomass to produce syngas which can then
be converted to liquid fuels through processes such as Fischer-
Tropsch synthesis
> Gasification of coal and biomass coupled with conversion to
methane to produce pipeline quality substitute natural gas (SNG)
> Pyrolysis and thermal processing of biomass to produce liquid fuels
> Natural gas reforming and water electrolysis to produce hydrogen

Processing
> Syngas clean-up and systems integration for improved alternate
fuels production economics, reliability, fuel quality, and CO2 removal
> Catalytic tar cracking process development for biomass-derived
syngas cleanup
> Development of membranes to separate hydrogen or carbon
dioxide from syngas
> Development of selective membranes for ethanol/water and
butanol/water separation for bioreactors
> Conditioning of biogas for use in fuel cells and other advanced
end-use applications

Delivery

> Characterizing quality of renewable biogas from animal manure,

mixed waste digester gas, and wastewater treatment and landfill gas
to enable the acceptance of new supplies into the natural gas delivery
infrastructure
> Validating the use of plastic pipe for ethanol transportation

Energy Use

Transportation Vehicles
> Creating CNG, LNG, and hydrogen
from opportunity fuels such as landfills
and wastewater treatment facilities
 Power Generation
> Developing hydrogen fuel cell technology for stationary power
generation and vehicles
> Developing biomass gasification for power generation

Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Uses

> Integration of advanced solar thermal technology with natural
gas end-use systems such as hot water and steam generation,
thermally driven cooling systems and industrial process heating
> Fuel specification and interchangeability with end-use equipment
and processes
GTI has a long-standing history in processes associated with the anaerobic
digestion of animal waste. Interest in renewable energy is growing, estab-
lishing future opportunities for GTI including the creation of renewable
gas through gasification, biogas produced from mixed waste streams,
development of hardware and processes for biogas cleanup, and develop-
ment of downstream pyrolysis processes.

CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

GTI has the experience and skills to enable the use of alternative and renewable fuels. We work with
government and industry both individually or in collaboration with others to reduce the time and cost
of getting new technology to market.
We partner with natural gas and electric utilities, major industrial firms, equipment manufacturers, private investors,
entrepreneurial start-up companies and government agencies in our programs to develop new and innovative
solutions and evaluate technologies. We act as product enablers, helping technologies reach the marketplace at
every stage from lab testing through commercial demonstration.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

GTI has a broad array of modern laboratory facilities for alternative and
renewable energy development. These include:
Flex-Fuel Test Facility
The Henry R. Linden Flex-Fuel Test Facility evaluates innovative gasifi-
cation processes integrated with downstream syngas clean-up and
conversion to facilitate the commercialization of advanced technologies.
Gasification Laboratory
Within this laboratory, GTI evaluates a variety of feedstocks for gasifica-
tion performance including fossil and renewable fuels.
Hot Gas Cleanup Laboratory
This is GTI’s primary laboratory for evaluating sorbents for potential
use in cleaning up the hot gas produced by a gasifier.
Gas Processing Laboratory
This lab develops and assesses gas processing technologies (e.g.,
membranes, solvents, and adsorbents) which can be used to remove
contaminants such as CO2.

Leverage GTI’s facilities
and expertise to reach
your solution faster.
For More Information
Jack Lewnard
Vice President and
Chief Technology Officer
847-768-0818
jack.lewnard@gastechnology.org
Combustion Laboratory
Within this facility, researchers develop and evaluate advanced steam and
power technologies, and combustion systems for use in commercial and
industrial products and systems.
High-Pressure Natural Gas, LNG, and Hydrogen Test Lab
This facility is designed to conduct controlled testing and product evalua-
tion of technologies and products using a variety of fuels, including CNG,
LNG, and compressed hydrogen (CH2). The large-scale environmental
chamber (3,000 ft3) includes full-size natural gas and hydrogen high-
pressure cascade storage systems. GTI also has a hydrogen storage labora-
tory with the capability to obtain precise storage capacities of materials
of interest.
High-Temperature Fuel Cell Laboratories
GTI performs research on both molten carbonate (MCFC) and solid oxide
(SOFC) fuel cell development within its high-temperature fuel cell laborato-
ries. These laboratories include all the materials processing, fabrication, and
testing equipment necessary for fabricating SOFC and MCFC components.
Low-Temperature Fuel Cell and Electrochemistry Testing Laboratories
GTI has extensive experience fabricating and testing proton exchange
membrane (PEM) fuel cell stacks and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC)
stacks through a vertically integrated in-house stack prototyping process.
GTI’s lab features fuel cell test stations, a catalyst testing laboratory for the
evaluation of new catalyst formulations over a wide range of operating
conditions, and fuel processor test bays to allow operational testing of
prototypes from 50 watts to 25 kW capacities.
Fuel Cell Materials Analysis
GTI maintains a well-equipped modern analytical laboratory capable of a
wide range of materials analysis and is well practiced in analyzing fuel cell
component hardware.
Membrane Development Laboratory
GTI has the equipment and expertise to develop a variety
of membranes, such as organic polymer membrane, zeo-
lite membrane, metal alloy membrane, high temperature
ceramic membrane, and combination membranes.

GTI—BRINGING SOLUTIONS TO MARKET

GTI takes on tough energy challenges, turning raw technology into practical solutions that create exceptional
value for our customers in the global marketplace. GTI strives to enhance the effectiveness and implementa-
tion of these solutions through the integration of several principles and characteristics:
> Market-focused. GTI programs are based on the direct needs of customers and constituents in the market—
identifying and addressing both business and technical needs.
> Commercialization partner involvement. Early partnering and deployment strategy development identifies
and mitigates potential implementation issues.
> Beyond research to practical application. GTI solutions build from proven science and fundamental research
to deliver well-grounded and workable approaches.
> Integrated technology solutions. GTI provides perspective and capabilities that encompass the full range
of the fuel cycle from supply, through delivery, to utilization.

Gas Technology Institute • 1700 South Mount Prospect Road • Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 • www.gastechnology.org
12-08