Lightbridge to Evaluate Renewable Energy Options for Gulf Region Country

MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightbridge Corporation (Nasdaq: LTBR), the leading innovator of advanced nuclear fuel designs and provider of energy consulting services to commercial and governmental organizations, today announced that it has entered into a consulting contract with a country in the Gulf region in the Middle East to provide expertise as the country looks to establish a renewable energy platform.  

For a six month period, beginning in January 2011, Lightbridge's global consulting experts will conduct an extensive analysis to review applicable renewable energy technologies.  This analysis will contribute to the future development of a national renewable energy strategy with the objective of ultimately implementing these options.

"Our Company has deep ties with the states in the Gulf region, and this assessment will serve to strengthen those ties as we partner with a country that is proactively exploring renewable options to secure a sustainable future," said Seth Grae, President and CEO of Lightbridge.  "This assessment is a foundational step towards the development of a renewable energy platform that will meet the growing demands for energy and water in this key market."

Lightbridge has previously worked with this country, providing economic modeling of existing power and water structure, and assessing forecasts for the future. This model, along with its projections, will serve as a benchmark for the current engagement as Lightbridge evaluates feasible, renewable energy options as part of an overarching power and water generation portfolio within the country.

As part of the project, Lightbridge will leverage its expertise to assess renewable energy trends, technological developments and the economics of implementation to generate data based on characterizations of each technology. This data will be placed in a model which will survey multiple technology alternatives:

• High-temperature solar thermal technologies for stand-alone power generation, power/water cogeneration and standalone solar water desalination
• Low-temperature solar thermal water distillation technologies
• Photovoltaic technologies
• Wind power generation
• Solar cooling technologies

An environmental study of impact, along with a survey of potential social and financial gains, will also be conducted.  Based on assessments, Lightbridge experts will input insights into a model and generate energy supply system scenarios that meet overall forecasted energy and water demand. In April 2010, Lightbridge began evaluating the feasibility of deploying nuclear power plants in this country and that analysis is ongoing.  Governmental authorities have since requested that Lightbridge also evaluate additional renewable energy options.

A training program will also be conducted to guide future use of the models and software for analysis.

About Lightbridge Corporation

Lightbridge is a U.S. nuclear energy company based in McLean, VA. with operations in Abu Dhabi, Moscow and London. The Company develops non-proliferative nuclear fuel technology and provides comprehensive advisory services for established and emerging nuclear programs based on a philosophy of transparency, non-proliferation, safety and operational excellence. Lightbridge's breakthrough fuel technology is establishing new global standards for safe and clean nuclear power and leading the way towards a sustainable energy future. Lightbridge consultants provide integrated strategic advice and expertise across a range of disciplines including regulatory affairs, nuclear reactor procurement and deployment, reactor and fuel technology and international relations. It leverages those broad and integrated capabilities by offering their services to commercial entities and governments with a need to establish or expand nuclear and other generation industry capabilities and infrastructure.

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SOURCE Lightbridge Corporation