Waste Management invests in syngas producer Agnion Energy

(ADPnews) - May 16, 2011 - Waste Management Inc (NYSE:WM) announced last week that it had invested into German waste-to-synthetic gas (syngas) firm Agnion Energy Inc.

The company, engaged in garbage collection and recycling, has joined other investors including, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Munich Venture Partners and Wellington Partners, to advance the Agnion's allothermal gasification technology.

The technology, based on Heatpipe-Reformer design, converts solid biomass feedstock into a high hydrogen and carbon monoxide-rich syngas. The latter is suited for combined heat and power (CHP) applications and can be converted into liquids, hydrogen, and methanol dimethyl-ether as well as substitute natural gas.

Waste Management's investment complements its other chemical conversion technology platforms including Enerkem, S4 Energy Solutions, Terrabon and Agilyx. The deal with Agnion Energy is also anticipated to help move Waste Management toward meeting two of its sustainability goals -- doubling its renewable energy production by 2020, and investing in emerging technologies for managing waste.

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