Colorado waste-to-energy firm eyes Hawaii
Hawaii has shown up on the agenda of a Colorado company that is attempting to commercialize waste-to-energy technology.
Vista International Technologies is finalizing plans for a thermal gasifier project in China, but is also considering waste-to-energy projects in Mexico, southeastern Europe -- and Hawaii.
"In order to properly service the needs of our growing business development activities, the company expects to open offices in Hawaii, Mexico, and southeastern Europe in the near future," the company said in a statement yesterday.
Vista -- which last week changed its name from Nathaniel Energy -- said in its statement yesterday that it has received expressions of interest for a waste-to-energy project in Hawaii.
Honolulu waste officials could not be reached for comment yesterday. Maria Tome, alternative energy engineer at the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, said she was unfamiliar with the company.
A spokesman for Vista could not be reached for comment yesterday at its Denver-area headquarters, which were closed early because of heavy snowfall.
Vista said in its statement that it is focusing its efforts on what it calls thermal gasifier technology, designed to extract chemical energy from biomass and industrial and commercial waste, including used tires.
Vista says it has a U.S. patent pending on its technology, as well as an international patent for European Economic Countries.
The company said in documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that its technology is being used in two thermal gasifier units built in 2004 in Cologna Veneta, Italy, but is not deriving revenue from that installation.
It has a 27-acre tire fuel processing facility in Hutchins, Texas, which it has run since 1999 and currently accounts for all of its revenues, the company said.
Vista lost $1.8 million on revenues of $327,660 in the nine months ending Sept. 30.
Darren Pai, spokesman for Hawaii Electric Co., declined specific comment on Vista, but said: "We welcome all companies that are pursuing renewable energy projects in Hawaii."