UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that it will partner with the University of Southern California’s (USC) Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute to develop and commercialize new technology to transform carbon dioxide into clean-burning alternative fuels.
USC developed fundamental chemistry to transform carbon dioxide to methanol or dimethyl ether, two potentially cleaner-burning alternatives to traditional transportation fuels, thereby reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas known to contribute to global warming.
The agreement grants UOP exclusive access rights for commercialization of technology and intellectual property developed by USC researchers for production of methanol, dimethyl ether and other chemicals from undesirable carbon dioxide. UOP and USC will jointly work on development for a commercially viable process.
“The development of this technology could have significant impact on global energy security, and global warming by converting carbon dioxide into useful products and making new clean fuel technologies available to UOP customers worldwide,” said Nobel Laureate and director of USC’s Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute George A. Olah.
“UOP already has commercial technology that uses methanol as a key intermediate in petrochemicals production,” said UOP President and CEO Carlos A. Cabrera. “We believe methanol can also be a viable option for transportation fuels in the future. The partnership between UOP and USC is aimed at achieving the breakthroughs needed to make this happen.”
Methanol is a light, colorless, flammable liquid frequently used to produce other intermediate chemicals, which are then used to produce products like plastics, plywood and paints. It is also used on a limited basis as a fuel for internal combustion engines. Methanol is liquid at normal temperatures, allowing it to be stored easily. It is easy to reform into hydrogen or dimethyl ether, the latter of which is a diesel fuel, making it a viable alternative fuel source.
Under Olah, the Donald P. and Katherine B. USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences has become the world’s leading research center in the area of hydrocarbon energy including organic, polymer and materials chemistry. The institute pursues environmentally sustainable development of alternative fuels based on renewable feedstocks. Since its inception, the institute has trained more than 500 doctoral and postdoctoral fellows representing all corners of the world.
UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell’s Specialty Materials strategic business group. For more information, go to www.uop.com.
Honeywell International is a $34 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. It is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. For additional information, please visit www.honeywell.com.
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Contacts:
Susan Gross
(847) 391-2380
susan.gross@uop.com
