Environmental company Ragn-Sells AS submitted an application to the Estonian Patent Office to request patents for its innovative oil shale ash valorisation process, which makes it possible to reprocess the majority of the ash waste created in energy generation in Estonia into materials.
Ragn-Sells AS established a subsidiary in Estonia, RS-OSA Service OÜ, for the oil shale ash valorisation research project launched five years ago. Today, a scientific consortium has been established under the management of the company, in which researchers from the University of Tartu and Tallinn University of Technology also participate in conducting basic and applied research. Recently, the Archimedes Foundation joined as a co-sponsor of the research.
According to Rain Vääna, Chairman of the Management Board of Ragn-Sells AS, Estonia can be standing on the threshold of becoming a much more sustainable country despite of the oil shale usage in the local market. “Until the full turn towards the renewable energy sources, there is still a solution needed for the waste the oil shale energy production has and will create. We are excited to have come that far in collaboration with scientists to have one on the table”, said Vääna. He added, that the aim of the research is to hopefully bring the knowledge in practise as soon as possible.
The aim of the oil shale ash valorising process` development works is to valorise more than 1 million tonnes of oil shale ash waste in Estonia per year by means of a carbon-neutral process, where additional resources are constantly reused. More detailed information on the process, results and other details can be published by the company after the research has been completed.
The company has a wide expertise and experience in the circular economy practises. In May, the Ragn-Sells Group announced the start of the construction of a new plant near Stockholm, designed to extract resources from fly ash from waste incineration. Within two years, the facility near Stockholm will be able to process fly ash corresponding to half of the yearly production in Sweden.
The Ragn-Sells Group is a privately held corporate group, operating companies in four countries.
Since 1966, the company has been involved in waste management, environmental services and recycling. Ragn-Sells organizes the collection, treating and recycling of waste and residual products from businesses, organizations and households.
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