Clean, Affordable Energy for a Reasoned Transition: Nx25 Is the Needed Innovation
By Steven Shallenberger, CEO, Rivotto
Everyone benefits in a world of abundant energy.
Some thought the answer to clean, abundant energy would be found with solar and wind power, but these have proven expensive and unreliable. Solar power comes with the significant side effect of solar trash, resulting from discarded solar panels. As recently highlighted in Harvard Business Review, major wind power companies are considering terminating projects as costs continue to skyrocket and profits remain elusive (Atasu et al. 2021). Europe is scrambling for energy stability and the United States is forecasting dramatic brownouts, all because of rushing to go green.
This overwhelming push for clean energy is stifling an affordable and reliable source of energy — coal. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, assuming current levels of production, the United States has nearly 500 years of coal remaining, which accounts for 28% of global coal reserves (Richie, Rosado and Roser 2020). To turn our backs on such a source of energy would be a travesty, but the pressures for change and innovation are real.
Currently, we are witnessing two opposing forces in the energy industry. On one side, there is the existential requirement to achieve and maintain economic strength, underpinned by energy security. On the other is a clamor for environmental preservation. Nx25 declares with a clarion voice that both are possible, and we don’t have to wait for a miracle innovation — because Nx25 is that innovation.
Introducing Nx25
Nx25 comes from a novel scientific discovery. The inventor, having come from the power generation industry, applied that discovery in practical use cases to prove its commercial value. The technology revolves around introducing active ingredients, in conjunction with the proper aqueous carrier formulation, into the combustion environment. This is not a catalyst, nor a technology that modifies coal. Nx25, within fossil fuel combustion, creates a safe, secondary reaction that occurs in parallel with and in addition to the primary combustion reaction. Think of it as a non-chemical, top-off reaction releasing a profusion of high-energy particles that net eliminate CO2 and other emissions, ensuring a more perfect combustion of the fossil fuel in the combustion process.
Less than 150 mL of Nx25, administered as a fogged solution in the air stream into a combustion environment, effectively creates the reaction for about one ton of coal. A properly applied Nx25 reaction delivers an improved heat rate, far less CO2 and far fewer criteria emissions — affordable, reliable and clean energy, with little capital expense. With Nx25, coal plants can operate cleaner and with lower carbon than natural gas.
Nx25 is Technology Readiness Level 8-9, Adoption Readiness Level 8 and is protected by patents, trade secrets and copyright.
The Problem Nx25 is Solving
Fossil fuels are low-cost, dense sources of energy. Fossil fuels aren’t bad. The challenge stems from the emissions that come from them — CO2, NOx, SOx, ROx, and other pollutive emissions.
Atmospheric stability is essential to human life. CO2 from fossil fuels adds new CO2 to the atmospheric ecosystem where overabundance traps energy within the earth’s atmosphere, creating instability. Other pollutive elements hurt the environment and people and, because of these detrimental properties, powerful voices rail against fossil fuels.
Political pressure to decarbonize and go green is increasing. In November 2022, the UN hosted its Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP27. While ESG pressures already drive action, government commitments made in COP27 will accelerate regulation, policy and pressure on businesses, nonprofits and government agencies to enact meaningful solutions with an increasing sense of urgency. The EPA’s oversight is strengthening, with tentacles that have few boundaries. The U.S. SEC is set to release disclosure and reporting requirements that will obligate environmental compliance. Capital providers are allocating money based on ESG performance. The momentum against fossil fuels appears to be considerable but, even so, it’s the emissions that are bad — not the fossil fuels, which are useful natural resources.
Fossil fuels remain an essential source of energy, making up 82% of all energy sources, down only 10% from 50 years ago (Energy Institue 2023). We still need abundant energy, and non-carbon energy sources simply can’t supply it. Emerging innovations that evolve fossil fuels, like Nx25, can immediately answer both sides of the equation. Nx25 promotes energy abundance, carbon reductions and improved environmental stewardship via emissions reductions.
To push back against the strong voices that have demonized fossil fuels, there are several points that we, as a coal coalition, would do well to promote, and this is one of them: affordable, reliable, clean — the energy trifecta with which renewables cannot compete.
Why use Nx25
Improved energy output. The secondary reaction achieved with Nx25 adds energy and catalyzes a better burn in the primary fuel and significantly reduces fuel consumption, directly impacting the bottom line. Companies and industrial plants that want better margins can achieve those goals using Nx25, saving money.
Significantly reduced pollutive emissions. As ESG regulations shift and become more difficult to comply with, plants are better positioned to satisfy those requirements by reducing NOx, SOx, ROx and other pollutive emissions.
Economically viable carbon removal. CO2 emitters can reduce their carbon footprint and meet stated commitments without jeopardizing financial health. CO2 amelioration is complex and expensive. Nx25 changes that narrative. Illustrating the magnitude of difference, not only does Nx25 reduce carbon from the primary reaction at little cost, but as a stand-alone function we estimate that it will be able to remove carbon at less than $10 per ton, while other technologies come in between $50 and $800 per ton.
Expensive upgrades are not required. Nx25 can be administered with existing boilers and engines, eliminating the need for capital-intensive modifications.
Why Now
Much of the world is responding to the political and social pressures to shut plants down. The Biden administration is going to great lengths to accelerate change, threatening to shut down fossil fuel power plants if they don’t meet economically stifling emission standards. Job losses and brownouts are all but inevitable as companies will be forced to invest a tremendous amount of capital in search of an answer.
Nx25 is a proven solution that is ready to make an impact now, providing relief from some of those pressures.
Show Me the Data
Nx25 is supported by extensive data from testing both in laboratories and in the field.
Nx25 tested on an ASTM D5865 Gross Calorific Value of Coal & Coke test series at SGS International. It performed exceptionally well in this repeated, independent, third-party lab study, showing BTU/lb improvements of up to 150%, and averaging 64%. While these are laboratory tests, testing in the real world still shows directionally similar patterns, albeit less significant in absolute terms with average overall efficiency improvements in the 9-14% range.
Nx25 has been employed successfully in real-world applications. The technology demonstrated exceptional results — CO2 reductions of 40% — on a 550MW power-generating station in Florida, as measured by EPA-audited and independently certified control room equipment. Importantly, real-world testing has demonstrated that users can reduce criteria emissions by 47% to 70% and that average CO2 reductions could exceed 40%.
What’s Next?
As coal and other fossil fuel partners promote the necessary messaging to turn the rolling tide, embracing technologies like Nx25 and the benefits it delivers will add an essential aspect to the messaging. Not only is coal affordable and reliable, but with Nx25, it is also clean. Like adding a third dimension to a two-dimensional view, adding clean to the messaging will be very powerful.
With strong momentum coming from successful lab and field tests, Rivotto is excited about the opportunities going forward. To continue improving on our early successes, we are furthering our research with leading laboratories and pioneers in science and engineering to expand our capacities in coal and other applications, including completing the development of our low-cost direct air capture capability. Additionally, we are in final stages of contractual negotiations to launch Nx25 with international coal plant partners, transforming them into
clean, affordable, reliable sources of energy not just to meet an ESG goal, but to compete effectively in a complicated market for decades to come.
With Nx25 the future of coal is bright — and clean.