CEC Announces support of ALZETA’s High Efficiency, Ultra-Low NOx Supplemental Firing Burner Development

SANTA CLARA, CA (January 30, 2004)  - ALZETA Corporation announced today the receipt of a Notice of Proposed Award from the California Energy Commission for funding to complete the development and demonstration of ALZETA’s high efficiency ultra-low NOx supplemental firing burner technology for use in industrial Combined Heat and Power (CHP) applications.  This new supplemental firing burner builds on existing ultra-low NOx combustion technology used in commercial and industrial burners and thermal oxidizers currently sold by ALZETA.  Supplemental firing burners are installed in the exhaust ducts of gas turbines and other power generating equipment to increase thermal efficiency and capacity of downstream heat recovery equipment, reduce operating costs, and improve the overall flexibility of plant operations.  Extension of ALZETA’s proven ultra-low NOx technologies into the supplemental firing market will accelerate the adoption of many CHP technologies by reducing the cost and complexity of meeting environmental regulations.

Significant progress in the development of ultra-low NOx gas turbine combustors is creating a market for ultra-low NOx supplemental firing burners for use in combined cycle and cogeneration applications.  ALZETA’s technology will address that market need,” stated ALZETA’s Senior VP of Engineering, Mr. John D. Sullivan.  To meet stringent emissions requirements already in place, nearly all gas turbines operating in California’s most populated areas now require the use of post combustion NOx control technologies such as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR).  These post combustion technologies add significantly to the capital and operating cost of generating power and heat, and require the use of hazardous chemicals to reduce NOx emissions.  Progress in the development of ultra-low NOx gas turbine combustors by several companies, including ALZETA, has created the potential for operating these gas turbines without post combustion cleanup while still satisfying the most stringent emissions regulations.  But, since existing supplemental firing burners cannot match the emissions performance of the ultra-low NOx gas turbines currently under development, CHP plant operators may still require post combustion control to meet emissions regulations.  ALZETA’s ultra-low NOx supplemental firing burner is expected to match the emissions performance of this next generation of gas turbines and eliminate the cost and performance penalties associated with post combustion control for CHP applications.

ALZETA has been recommended for $1.5 million in CEC Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) funding by the CEC Selection Committee responsible for proposal review, and will provide an additional $560,000 in match funds to the project.  Their proposal was submitted in response to a CEC solicitation to identify innovative Combined Heat and Power Research, Development, and Demonstration Projects, and was ranked first out of 22 proposals submitted to the Commission.

About ALZETA Corporation

ALZETA Corporation develops, manufactures and deploys advanced combustion clean air solutions for industry.  ALZETA manufactures ultra-low emissions and uniform flux burners for residential, commercial, and industrial applications.  Additional products include thermal and catalytic oxidizers for the destruction of volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants and global warming gasses as used in the semiconductor manufacturing and other process industries.  ALZETA supplies major systems to many Fortune 500 companies and also serves as an OEM supplier of burners to other major organizations worldwide.  ALZETA has been granted more than 25 patents for advanced combustion developments and was recognized by the US Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies with their “Technology of the Year Award” for the Year 2000.