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Revolutionary oil skimmer ranks high among ’11 energy innovations

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Revolutionary oil skimmer ranks high among 11 energy innovations

Elastec/American Marine achieved high rankings in the best energy innovations in 2011 from National Geographic and the Washington Post.

The accolades are for the patented grooved disc oil spill skimmer that won the first place prize of $1 million in the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE last October.

The oil skimmer, manufactured by the Carmi-based pollution control company, is no. 2 on National Geographic's most Hopeful Energy Developments of 2011. The article can be viewed at news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/12/pictures/111228-hopeful-energy-stories-2011/#/oil-spill-x-prize-elastec_41438_600x450.jpg .

The Washington Post ranks the device as no. 13 among the best moments in innovations in 2011. Photo and story can be accessed at

washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/best-innovation-moments-of2011/2011/12/12/gIQAfR0YrO_gallery.html#photo=13 .

The world headquarters of Elastec/American Marine is located in Carmi, encompassing over 200,000 square feet in four manufacturing and warehousing facilities in southern Illinois (including Fairfield) and a facility in Cocoa, Fla. four satellite sales offices are located in Virginia, India, Turkey and China. With over 140 employees, the company manufactures pollution recovery systems with a core competency in domestic and international in oil spill recovery. Elastec/American Marine products are distributed through a global network of dealers and direct sales.

Elastec/American Marine achieved high rankings in the best energy innovations in 2011 from National Geographic and the Washington Post.

The accolades are for the patented grooved disc oil spill skimmer that won the first place prize of $1 million in the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X CHALLENGE last October.

The oil skimmer, manufactured by the Carmi-based pollution control company, is no. 2 on National Geographic's most Hopeful Energy Developments of 2011. The article can be viewed at news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/12/pictures/111228-hopeful-energy-stories-2011/#/oil-spill-x-prize-elastec_41438_600x450.jpg .

The Washington Post ranks the device as no. 13 among the best moments in innovations in 2011. Photo and story can be accessed at

washingtonpost.com/national/on-innovations/best-innovation-moments-of2011/2011/12/12/gIQAfR0YrO_gallery.html#photo=13 .

The world headquarters of Elastec/American Marine is located in Carmi, encompassing over 200,000 square feet in four manufacturing and warehousing facilities in southern Illinois (including Fairfield) and a facility in Cocoa, Fla. four satellite sales offices are located in Virginia, India, Turkey and China. With over 140 employees, the company manufactures pollution recovery systems with a core competency in domestic and international in oil spill recovery. Elastec/American Marine products are distributed through a global network of dealers and direct sales.

Revolutionary oil skimmer ranks high among ’11 energy innovations

Million-dollar contest launched for oil clean-up ideas

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1280492123 43 Million dollar contest launched for oil clean up ideas

A $1 million prize is on offer to anyone that can do a better job of cleaning up oil spills than BP.

Best-known for its efforts to launch the private spaceflight industry  and the ultra-fuel efficient vehicle market, the X Prize Foundation has launched the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge.

The prize is funded by Wendy Schmidt, wife of Google chairman Eric.the aim is to inspire entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists worldwide to develop new and efficient methods of capturing crude oil from the ocean surface.

"with more then ten thousands of ocean oil platforms across the globe, and million of barrels of oil being transported every day by tankers, it’s not a question of ‘if’ there will be another oil spill, but ‘when’," says Wendy Schmidt.

"We need to come up with better solutions to capture oil on the surface, to minimize the harm these spills are causing to marine life, coastal wetlands, and beaches, and to our livelihoods – a harm that can last for generations. this is why I am personally funding this X Challenge: to inspire innovators around the world – and all those who want to help address what has happened in the Gulf – to focus on solutions to an ongoing, systemic problem."

The competition has two phases.

From now until next April, teams from around the world can register and submit their approach. the organizers are looking for techniques to clean up oil slicks created by spills or leaks from ships or tankers, land drainage, waste disposal, or oil platform spills.

An expert panel of judges from industry and academia will evaluate all of the proposals on the basis of their technical approach and commercialization plan, environmental impact, scalability and cost, and will look for improvements over today’s baseline booms and skimmers.

In phase  two, the judges will pick up to 10 of the top teams to compete in a head-to-head competition. the team that can recover oil on the sea-water surface most quickly and efficiently will win the $1 million Grand Purse. Second place will win $300,000 and third place $100,000.

Million-dollar contest launched for oil clean-up ideas