Company Cites Ohio River As One Reason For Location Of New Coal-Derived Energy Plant

Frontieras North America, a subsidiary of Frontier Applied Sciences, announced recently that it will construct a plant along the Ohio River in Mason County, W.Va.

The FASForm Energy plant uses patented Solid Carbon Fractionation (SCF) technology to reform coal, waste plastics and hydrogen production by extracting volatiles, moisture and contaminants. It results in FASForm liquid and gas offerings as well as a cleaner version of coal known as FASCarbon that can be leveraged by the steel industry, Frontieras said.

The company expects to complete construction and be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2023. It is expected to employ up to 500 employees and process more than 2.7 million tons of coal annually.

Frontieras scouted potential plant locations in both Texas and Wyoming before settling on the site in West Virginia. The company noted that the site has access to the Ohio River for the import and export of feedstock and FASForm products; the area also has Class 1 freight rail, roads, easy access to raw materials and a skilled workforce.

“Mason County is proud to welcome Frontieras North America into the fold of national companies that have selected West Virginia as the site for a new business opportunity,” said John Musgrave, executive director of the Mason County Development Authority.  “This excellent company has a new approach to expanding the energy sector not only in West Virginia but also the nation. Frontieras’ unique approach to processing coal by breaking it down into its component parts will create many downstream jobs and opportunities. We are looking forward to assisting this outstanding company as it expands its business into international markets as well.”

In preparation for breaking ground, Frontieras also constructed a test plant that validated using West Virginia coal as its feedstock.

“We are excited to bring Frontieras to the forefront of the energy market and engage with the great people of Mason County,” said Matthew McKean, CEO and co-founder of Frontieras.  “Frontieras’ selection of its West Virginia site allows us to receive and ship products across the globe.  Our interactions with state officials to the local business community have provided insight into the positive working relationship that we expect as we break ground, bring the FASForm plant online and employ citizens of West Virginia.  The entire Frontieras team is looking forward to engaging with and becoming an active participant within the community.”

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice welcomed Frontieras to West Virginia.

“I could not be more excited to welcome Frontieras North America to West Virginia,” he said. “I thank them for selecting Mason County as the home of their new plant. Our goal is for West Virginia to be the energy powerhouse of the world, and we just keep growing in this vital industry that is both important to our economy and critical to ensuring the security of America. I’m also proud that our efforts to make West Virginia the most business-friendly state in the nation continue to pay dividends. Frontieras is the latest of several major companies to move into West Virginia because the outside world is finally waking up to the fact that we are the diamond in the rough that everyone missed. Not only are we blessed with an abundance of natural resources, but we also have the hardest working people you’ll find anywhere; people who are true craftsmen and experts in what they do. I have all the confidence in the world that Frontieras will be another great success story as West Virginia’s rocket ship ride to prosperity continues.”

Frontieras North America, a subsidiary of Frontier Applied Sciences (FAS), is a privately held entity formed in 2010. FAS holds patents on five continents that cover more than 3.7 billion people including the United States and Canada. Frontieras’ FASForm™ streamlines the processing of solid hydro carbonaceous materials and maximizes the energy output in each of its three forms: solids, liquids and gas. FASForm is extremely efficient, and products can be delivered to market at or below market comparable prices without relying upon any government subsidies or carbon credits, the company said.