Charlotte energy firm lands patent for grease-to-fuel project

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — EcoPlus has received a U.S. patent for a process by which restaurant grease can be turned into a solid fuel product.

The end product can be used as a substitute for coal, as part of a process to turn wastes into energy and in steam plant operations, according to the company.

“With the patent in hand, we have enhanced our credibility in both treatment of brown grease, an increasingly high-profile environmental issue, and in the production of a constructive, value-added final product that is a high-quality, alternative fuel,” said Phil Hicks, chief executive officer at EcoPlus.