Plasma, often referred to as the "fourth state of matter," is the term given to a gas that has become ionized.  An ionized gas is one where the atoms of the gas have lost one or more electrons and has become electrically charged. 

Plasma is formed by passing an electrical discharge through a gas.  Plasma torches or 'guns' are capable of producing temperatures nearly as hot as the sun's surface.

Alter NRG owns a proprietary plasma-based gasification technology developed by our wholly-owned subsidiary Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC) for converting various feedstocks into commercial syngas.

Lightning and the Sun are Examples of Plasma in Nature

Harnessing the Power of Plasma

WPC's plasma torch technology is comprised of a high temperature and high efficiency process heating device designed to operate with minimum maintenance in an industrial environment.  It has been used commercially for over 20 years and the torches have over 500,000 hours of industrial use.