Ranjani Siriwardane, senior scientist at DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), says her R&D 100 award-winning invention, developed to remove sulfur from high temperature coal gasification streams, shows promise in biomass applications. A 20-cycle test with simulated gas produced from black liquor – a pulp and paper industry by-product – shows RVS-1 reduces gas-stream sulfur from 4 percent volume to less than 40 ppmv. The regenerable sorbent becomes mechanically stronger and remains chemically active when subjected to multiple cycles. NETL program manager, Dan Cicero says, "With RVS-1 we expect energy cost reductions, capital cost reduction of $25-30 million, and incremental profit improvements in pulp production nearing $20 million annually in a typical Kraft paper mill."