History

Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Responsibility is in our DNA

We are proud of our roots, and we have remained true to our original vision of leveraging engineering and technology expertise to commercialize industrial-scale solutions that mitigate critical environmental challenges.

Aries Clean Technologies started in 2010 as PHG Energy, funded by the owners of a multi-state Caterpillar dealership, to further develop a patented gasification technology already in full commercialization and proven as a viable method of cleanly converting wood waste to synthetic fuel gas for industrial use.

By 2013, we had achieved several additional milestones using Downdraft Gasification, including:

  • Power Generation: Developing a system in conjunction with General Electric to power GE’s Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generation equipment for the first time ever with biomass-produced fuel gas
  • Municipal Plant: Designing and installing our first municipal gasification facility to cleanly convert wood and biological waste to electricity
  • Cleaner Syngas: Successfully cleaning syngas in an R&D project, powering a 1 MW Caterpillar generator and selling that power back to the grid through TVA
  • Feedstock Research: Testing and collecting gasification performance data on a wide array of biomass-based materials including municipal solid waste, scrap tires, and purpose-grown crops

Larger System Deployment

In 2014, Aries constructed and field tested the world’s largest Downdraft Gasifier, providing economies of scale to improve financial returns for customers. With five times the processing throughput and fuel output capacity of earlier equipment, the new unit was a major breakthrough for both technology and market penetration.

The initial deployment of that system is now operating in the City of Lebanon, Tennessee, and converts a blend of commercial wood waste into electric power and biochar. Click here to view a case study and ongoing results of that project.

Market Integration

In 2015, the acquisition of assets and patents from MaxWest Environmental, a Fluidized Bed Gasification company, opened new markets, including municipal and industrial biosolids conversion.

Investment Partner Spring Lane Capital 

In January 2018, Aries announced it had issued approximately $21.4 million of new equity led by existing investors and received additional capital commitments from Spring Lane Capital of $25 million for equity in future gasification projects. Spring Lane, a private equity firm based in Boston, focuses on project finance investments for smaller-scale solutions in the energy, water, food and waste industries. This financing marks a significant milestone for the emerging set of municipal- and industrial-scale solutions providers in the waste management industry, which has been historically challenged to access affordable financing tailored to the needs of sub-utility scale projects in the industry.

Aries GREEN® Biochar Production 

The demand for certified biochar for personal and industrial use is growing worldwide. Industries are using it to create more carbon-neutral products in order to meet zero carbon sustainability goals. Individuals are using it to improve their lawns, garden, and plants. The world’s largest downdraft gasifier, commissioned in October 2016 in Lebanon, Tennessee, is an ideal facility for this type of production. Aries leases and operates the facility to create Aries GREEN® certified biochar-based products. Keeping the plant operating also continues the diversion of waste wood from local landfills, improving the local sustainability footprint. Aries Green® is a high-carbon content biochar for use as an all- natural soil conditioner and agricultural soil amendment, fuel, a filtering agent, and a base material for the production of various consumer products.

Aries Linden Biosolids Gasification Facility 

Ground was broken for the construction of the Aries Linden Biosolids Gasification Facility in 2019. This state of the art, patented, fluidized bed facility will be located in a re-purposed building within the Linden Roselle Sewerage Authority complex where it will process 430 tons per day of biosolids. The closed-loop system that requires no fossil fuels during operations, will produce 22 tons of beneficial Bio-Fly-Ash™ daily. It will be used as a concrete additive. The system will be carbon negative and captures methane (with a global warming impact 23 times greater than CO2) that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere Construction is underway with full operations in Q2 2021.