Three firms to manage fly-ash waste at Phulbari power plant

GCM Resources, the London-based company working on the Phulbari Coal and Power Project, has signed a deal with three companies to find a suitable and effective environmental solution for fly-ash waste management.

Under the 12-month Memorandum of Understanding, GCM Resources along with SION Corporation, VERSATECH Energy Innovation and AC BIODE will conduct investigations into the production of the composite material CircuLite from fly-ash produced by Phulbari Coal and Power Project, said the MoU details.

The primary objective of the MoU will be to establish a cooperative relationship between the parties, and to pursue an agreed objective to improve the environmental performance of the Project and extend the Project’s benefits for Bangladesh through the application of CircuLite.

“CircuLite is potentially a significant value-adding opportunity for the project, as it has far-ranging applications from water and air pollution treatment to soil conditioning with ensuing agricultural production improvements,” GCM CEO Michael Tang said.

The venture will also look into applications of CircuLite to various environmental and agricultural improvements within Bangladesh.

“GCM and its mine and power plant development partners look very much forward to working with SION, VERSATECH, and AC BIODE to integrate CircuLite production with the project and unleash further significant benefits for Bangladesh,” he added.

SION is a Japanese research and development corporation with primary focus on developing and transferring technology to support the “Circular Economy”.

VERSATECH is a Hong Kong based environmental company that oversees the development of CircuLite outside of Japan.

AC BIODE is a chemistry-based start-up in Japan and Luxembourg, which develops the world’s first AC battery systems, Zn-Air batteries, and chemical recycling catalysts for plastic waste.