MOVA Technologies Announces Successful Pollutant Capture Testing in Partnership with Virginia Tech
~ Will Launch National Search for Commercial Development of Technology ~
Pulaski, VA — MOVA Technologies Inc., a Pulaski-based emerging technology company researching pollution control strategies for industrial emissions, today announced the successful completion of initial proof-of-concept (POC) testing of gaseous contaminants (CO2, SO2, NO) through the Advanced Propulsion and Power Laboratory at Virginia Tech. Through research at Virginia Tech, the company tested its patented Panel Bed Filtration System’s ability to remove particulate matter and other pollutants from the air for applications including agriculture, fossil fuel energy production, shipping, and direct air capture. MOVA will now seek commercial partners to pilot test the technology.
“The testing confirms that our panel-bed filter can be used to capture pollutants from gaseous emissions streams on a commercial scale. This technology cleans the environment and provides a revenue stream from what was formally an environmental hazard,” said Steve Critchfield, President and CEO of MOVA Technologies. “We are now seeking strategic partners for pilot projects to test the panel-bed filter in real-world applications, particularly in the agriculture and energy production industries.”
According to the lab’s preliminary report, “[c]onclusively, based on the calculated capture efficiency data obtained throughout testing, the Virginia Tech team believes that a successful POC was achieved,” confirming that MOVA’s technology can capture gaseous pollutants.
“It was exciting that the best research partner in the next step toward commercialization of our technology was right in our backyard,” said Matt Gulotta, Director of Technology Development for MOVA. “We have been extremely pleased with the professional and thorough testing of our product conducted at Virginia Tech. Additionally, we are pleased that the testing in a controlled setting confirmed that our technology can capture gaseous emissions from an air stream using a combination of the panel-bed system and commercial sorbents.”
With the Panel Bed Filtration System, industries can now remove air pollutants from a dirty gas stream by capturing gaseous emissions and recycling them. The technology gives a company the ability to capture a pollutant like carbon dioxide and then resell it as raw material. This product is of particular interest to high-emission industries such as livestock farming, fossil fuel energy production, chemical production facilities, and other industries consuming a lot of energy produced from carbon-based fuels.
“Imagine a device placed in a poultry or swine facility that eliminates any odors caused by methane and hydrogen sulfide, or imagine a device placed on an energy production facility that eliminates the need to capture pollutants and store them in bags,” said Critchfield. “That is our technology. We believe there are multiple opportunities for strategic partnerships to both deploy our technology and to further customize our chemical sorbent compounds.”
“MOVA has the potential to change the way industries think about pollution, placing the company at the forefront of green technology,” said Todd Haymore, former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade and strategic advisor to InvestSWVA, a regional marketing initiative for GO Virginia Region One advising MOVA. “Development and commercialization of this technology will have enormous economic impacts across the state and can significantly contribute to the preservation of environments like the Chesapeake Bay. While this technology should be of interest internationally, I particularly hope some of Virginia’s leading corporate citizens pay attention to this groundbreaking technology being developed right here in Virginia.”
MOVA was founded in 2016 and opened their headquarters in Pulaski that same year, occupying a recently renovated building in the heart of downtown. MOVA now enters the next phase of its commercialization strategy as it begins to actively seek strategic partners for the deployment of the technology.
“When my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee looked to highlight cutting-edge technology companies in December 2019 at the Energy and Environmental Innovation Showcase at the Capitol, I was proud to host MOVA Technologies,” said Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9). “The interest they received from my fellow members across the country validated that the team and the technology show real promise. MOVA’s decision to locate in Pulaski confirms what many of us already know: exciting work is being done in Southwest Virginia.”
“The announcement of a technology company choosing to locate here was a real shot in the arm for our community and confirmation of our reputation as a home to advanced manufacturing,” said Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet. “We are excited about their progress and even more excited that most of MOVA’s private funding has come from Southwest Virginia. Through this project we have seen the impact of reinvesting in the community.”
The company recently presented to the Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority, which was established by the General Assembly in 2019 to promote energy development in Southwest Virginia. During the presentation, MOVA discussed the possibility of siting a pilot facility in Southwest Virginia.
“The Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority is excited to see MOVA’s vision continue to advance, particularly through the success of this latest innovative research,” said Will Payne, director of the authority and project lead for InvestSWVA. “As we strategically pursue innovative economic development projects, particularly in the renewable energy and technology industries, we are encouraged by the possibility of siting one of MOVA’s pilot projects in GO Virginia Region One.”
ABOUT MOVA Technologies Inc.: MOVA Technologies Inc. was formed in 2016 to commercialize the patents of the late Dr. Arthur M. Squires, a prolific inventor and internationally respected chemical engineer. During his career he not only influenced a generation of chemical engineers, from time to time he was called upon to assist both private industry and local governments around the world with pollution control strategies. In 1952 the city of London engaged Squires to assist it with addressing the Great Smog. Among Squires’ extensive patent portfolio are several patents related to filtration technology. Beginning with a third-party market opportunity analysis followed by a techno-economic analysis, MOVA has methodically sought to deploy this technology. For more information visit movatechnologies.com. The executive summary of the preliminary Proof-of-Concept report can be found here.
ABOUT Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority: The Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority was established through legislation patroned by Senator Ben Chafin and Delegate Terry Kilgore that passed during the 2019 General Assembly session. The authority’s purpose is to promote opportunities for energy development in Southwest Virginia, create jobs and economic activity in the region consistent with the Virginia Energy Plan and position Southwest Virginia and the Commonwealth as a leader in energy workforce and energy technology research and development. The authority has partnered with InvestSWVA, a strategic regional marketing initiative for GO Virginia Region One, to develop projects that build on the region’s long history of energy production in order to grow the economy. By taking an all-the-above approach, both teams are focused on positioning Southwest Virginia as the energy innovation capital of the East Coast.
ABOUT Pulaski County: Pulaski County, a triple bottom line community with a population of 34,000 and a land area of 330 square miles, is the New River Valley’s Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Southwestern Virginia’s Center of International Business. The County is working strategically to become one of the nation’s greenest counties (per capita), with existing green energy resources and the development and production of new renewable energy assets. The County is currently home to American Electric Power’s 75 MW hydro production plant and a 3.6 MW methane conversation plant housed at their regional landfill. The County is currently working with a developer on a proposed wind energy project for up to 150 MW. The County is also working with reputable solar power investors to develop and construct a utility-scale solar array of up to 300 MW, to provide a green energy pipeline for large power users who value a reduced carbon footprint. This desired status will help position the county to attract next-level technology based companies, foreign direct investors, and advanced manufacturers who value green energy, a low-cost of doing business, the availability of quality product, sufficient bandwidth, and access to a robust talent pipeline.