U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Grants Permit for SEADOG(R) Pump Wave Energy Technology to Tap Ocean for Renewable Sources of Energy and Clean Water

FREEPORT, Texas, May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent Natural Resources, Inc. (INRI®), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Renew Blue, Inc. (RBI) announced today it received a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 10 Permit to install a commercial wave-powered demonstration facility a mile off of Freeport, Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. "This is the first Section 10 Permit issued to demonstrate a commercial wave energy facility in the history of the United States," said Douglas Sandberg, vice president for INRI.  This comes less than eight months after the company received the first-ever state offshore wave energy lease from the Texas General Land Office for the facility.

The permit signifies that ocean water and waves off the coast of Freeport will soon generate electricity and produce fresh, desalinated water through the new infrastructure operated by Texas Natural Resources, LLC (TNR).

"This permit marks a significant step to help Texas achieve its goals for new sources of energy and clean water," Sandberg said. "It is an exciting time for us as we move closer to demonstrating a renewable energy technology that can provide base load electricity and fresh water for municipalities, commercial business and local entities."

Robert M. Worley, CEO of the Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County (EDABC) stated, "We are very excited about the wave energy project being planned for Freeport! It is exciting for several reasons – first, renewable, non-polluting energy is a wonderful thing, second, this project represents a great project for industrial diversity in Brazoria County, third, we like the fact that it will be a commercially viable demonstration project and should bring visitors from around the world, and fourth, good jobs and a good addition to the tax base. This project meets several of the economic development goals of the EDABC."

New Desalination Plant Part of Solution for Texas Water Shortage

The lack of sufficient fresh water is a growing concern in Texas and in many regions of the world, and seawater desalination is increasingly essential. A viable clean water solution for sustaining communities – particularly those hit by hurricanes, floods, droughts, and other natural and environmental disasters – is becoming a reality. While traditional desalination typically requires significant amounts of electricity, the SEADOG Pump is powered solely by the wave energy it harnesses.

Considering that 40 to 50 percent of operating costs in the desalination process are attributed to energy usage, the SEADOG Pump system provides significant cost savings and minimal environmental impact when compared to the large-scale use of power generated by fossil fuels. Further environmental benefits accrue from the superior manner in which brine water is mixed and diluted with seawater before being disbursed. The SEADOG Pump facility is just one demonstration of what the wave energy technology can do in providing electricity and clean water to regions around the world that lack energy and fresh water but have an abundance of ocean waves along their coastline.

Small Environmental Footprint Through Wave Energy Technology

A primary benefit that led to the permit for RBI's facility is the small environmental footprint it will have. Most water pumps on ships or desalination plants have blades or impellers, or operate at high pressure. The SEADOG Pump operates at low pressure and has no impellers or blades. The water is drawn in and discharged passively through valves. It is anticipated to have nearly zero impact on marine life. As part of the permit requirements, RBI will also be conducting an environmental pilot study, collecting and analyzing seawater samples and reporting their findings to several federal and state regulatory agencies.

Moving to Market

With the regulatory path now cleared, the technology can be demonstrated to the commercial market. Manufacturing is well under way on the pumps, and the facility is expected to be installed later this year. The SEADOG Pump separates itself from other wave energy technologies on the market by capturing both kinetic and potential energy and using a simple pump design with few moving parts and no electronics. RBI will use some of the wave power to desalinate up to 3,000 gallons of fresh water per day as a demonstration of its ability to provide clean water on a municipal scale. "We could produce over 20 times that amount of water with this facility, but we simply want to demonstrate its viability on a smaller scale at this point," said Sandberg.

About Renew Blue, Inc.

Renew Blue, Inc. (RBI), a Texas Corporation, was formed in 2008 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Independent Natural Resources, Inc. (INRI®). RBI is the first licensing entity of the INRI SEADOG® Pump, a technology that captures energy from ocean waves. RBI will bottle and distribute the Renew Blue™ brand of water, the world's first 100 percent fossil-fuel-free, desalinated drinking water produced by harnessing the power of ocean waves. For more information please visit www.renewblue.com.

About Texas Natural Resources, LLC

Texas Natural Resources LLC (TNR), based out of Houston, Texas, was founded in 2008 to provide management, ownership and development for new renewably fueled infrastructure technologies creating energy and desalinating water for municipalities, commercial businesses and other local entities. TNR is licensing from Renew Blue, Inc. to bring the SEADOG Pump to market. For more information please visit www.txnaturalresources.com.

About Independent Natural Resources, Inc.

Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., Independent Natural Resources, Inc. (INRI®) is an energy technology company that develops innovative products used to generate power from renewable sources in a clean, environmentally friendly manner. The company currently holds the rights to a patented product that can recover power from the excess pressure released by natural gas pipeline systems and the SEADOG® Pump system, a patented technology product that captures energy from ocean waves. To learn more, visit the company's website at www.inri.us.

SOURCE Independent Natural Resources Inc.