(168b) How Pilot Testing and Modularization Can De-Risk Technology Commercialization and Overall Project Delivery

Developing a project execution strategy to commercialize developing technology projects requires a degree of sensitivity to its unique challenges. Project drivers that maximize the probability of advancing through process development phases and financial decision gates are vital in early development.

Unlike traditional projects, developing technology projects walk a delicate line between being economically viable or never making it past the conceptual stage. Having the right project execution strategy, which delivers cost & schedule certainty beginning early at the conceptual stage and maintains project certainty through process development and validation, engineering, construction, and facilities start-up, is fundamental to the success of developing technology projects. Two such best practices which drive project certainty are pilot testing and a modular project delivery model.

When commercializing a new technology, one best practice is to perform pilot testing to de-risk process and obtain a process performance guarantee prior to scale up and commercialization. As it relates to overall project execution, it is also important to select the best-suited delivery model to meet project goals and drivers. When it comes to executing developing technology projects, a truckable module project delivery model is well-suited to provide Owners and Developing Technology providers the project certainty needed to ensure the greatest probability of meeting project financing hurdles, providing cost and schedule advantages, and project certainty throughout the project lifecycle as compared to a traditional field construction project execution strategy. Furthermore, a modular delivery model provides Owners the flexibility to develop a modular pilot or demonstration-scale unit which can easily be commercially scaled and duplicated across multiple geographies.

Our paper will discuss these project delivery challenges inherent to developing technology projects, how pilot testing was planned and performed to de-risk the project, and when a truckable module delivery model is best suited as an execution model and its benefits compared to traditional field construction, and provide current relevant project examples and lessons learned. Project examples could include PureCycle Technologies, Origin Materials among others.