Business Development

C-Lock | K-Fuel

C-Lock Technology, Inc.®

C-Lock Technology Inc. enjoys the support and collaboration of strong partners on the technology development, sales and distribution fronts.

GreenCert™ is the measurement and management system that integrates IBM hardware and software products for the complex task of precise and accurate GHG emissions measurement. The IBM framework platform is based on a service-oriented architecture (SOA) that merges a comprehensive software set that includes real-time communications through an Enterprise Service Bus, data collection, extensive correlation processes and the integration of large-scale models. The architecture meets current GHG processing demands and is scalable for worldwide and large enterprise applications. IBM developed a case study showing the benefits of the GreenCert solution for the utility industry. In 2009 IBM recognized GreenCert as an outstanding energy and environment solution through IBM's Beacon Awards program.

C-Lock Technology Inc. worked with its strategic partner Enterprise Information Management Inc. (EIM) to wrap widely-accepted IBM software and hardware around the core C-Lock algorithm for precise, accurate carbon information management to create the GreenCert solution. IBM's worldwide software sales force along with the marketing and sales teams at EIM are working to develope strong deployment partnerships in the key global geographic regions of Asia, North America and Europe.

In March 2009 IBM, C-Lock and EIM launched a major sales and distribution agreement for the Asia-Pacific region with Foxconn/Hon Hai, one of the world's largest contract electronics manufacturers. Foxconn has committed significant resources to the hiring and training of personnel for softwre segment customizing, sales and distribution of the GreenCert solution across Asia-Pacific, starting in Taiwan.

Hon Hai Precision Industry chairman Terry Gou, left, C-Lock Technology chairman
Vincent Cook, second left, Enterprise Information Management chief executive Bruce Lyman, second right, and IBM software sales vice president Mark Easton
shake hands at a press conference in Taipei.
PHOTO: CNA

In December 2008 C-Lock Technology Inc., and Crowley-Shindler Management LLC, a unit of The Crowley Group, have signed an agreement for the Eastern European licensing rights for GreenCert. The contract calls for at least 14 energy plant pilot projects to include two full-scale C-Lock deployments with a minimum payment to C-Lock of $12.5 million. The Crowley Group has developed Eastern European technology businesses since 1990, with a focus on technology-based infrastructure. During the past 25 years, it has arranged $4.5 billion in project financing and in the past 23 years, it has owned and operated more than 30 wireless telecommunications technology and infrastructure businesses in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. In addition to being one of the world’s leading wireless technology companies, The Crowley Group, under the auspices of Crowley Infrastructure Development Group (CDG), is a partner and developer in the field of revitalization of urban areas and transport infrastructure.

K-Fuel Cleaner Coal Technology-Focus on Asia

Evergreen is on the ground in Asia, which wants to make use of its billions of tons of lower-rank coal to fuel its extraordinary economic growth.

China

Estimates vary, but China has at least 52 billion tons of lower-rank sub-bituminous and lignite (brown) coal. Much of this coal is located in remote areas such as the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The lower quality of the raw coal makes it difficult or impossible to justify long-distance transportation to population centers. China, historically a coal exporter, is now forced at times to import coal, and there is now a national policy to find new technologies to free China's dependence on foreign coal and open up its under used domestic resources of sub-bituminous and lignite coals. The K-Fuel process is well-suited to address this issue and Evergreen is currently in discussions with a major state-owned Chinese coal entity which has selected K-Fuel technology as its preferred technology for coal upgrading.

Evergreen's business development efforts in China passed a major milestone when, in May 2009, China's National Develoopment and Reform Commission (NDRC) gave its official stamp of approval to K-Fuel technology. NDRC approval marks a noteworthy step forward for K-Fuel technology deployment in China. The NDRC formulates and implements strategies of Chinese national economic and social development, and its approval of the Evergreen-China joint venture signifies an official Chinese government stamp of approval for using K-Fuel technology to upgrade China’s vast lignite (brown) coal reserves. The approval is crucial to K-Fuel technology’s growth in China because no new foreign technology can take root there without NDRC review and approval. The commission constantly monitors new technologies and proposed foreign investments and decides whether they will benefit greater China and are worthy of receiving state resources. As a preamble to the NDRC approval, Evergreen established a 50-50 equity joint venture between Evergreen Energy, Inc. and a Chinese entity that was established in March 2007 to develop new energy, environmental and light industry ventures. Evergreen Energy Inc. and the Chinese entity next executed a master license agreement for the use of Evergreen’s patented K-Fuel refined coal technology.

Indonesia

In 2008 Evergreen, its strategic partner Sumitomo Corporation and a major Indonesian mining group have agreed to advance their joint K-Fuel coal refinery project on Kalimantan Island, Indonesia to the next round of detailed analysis necessary before making a decision to develop a comprehensive plant design. The proposed K-Fuel refinery would upgrade Kalimantan Island sub-bituminous coal before shipment to Asian markets. Together, the three companies spent more than a year examining engineering specifications, economic factors, market conditions and coal testing results related to the project. The effort provided critical information to the partners and identified additional key areas in need of more detailed investigation before reaching a decision to develop a detailed plant design.