MagneGas Corp., a clean technology company in the renewable resources and environmental solutions industries, announced that it has formally launched a U.S. Department of Agriculture sterilization pilot program at a dairy farm based in Bowling Green, Fla.

The primary purpose of the pilot is to evaluate the efficacy of the MagneGas patented plasma arc sterilization process for cow manure, according to the announcement. The pilot is jointly funded by USDA through a $432,000 grant and provides MagneGas with the opportunity to further validate the sterilization process.

MagneGas previously conducted similar pilot programs for the hog industry in Indiana in 2016. The data gathered from that program were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency and USDA for review, the company said. The current grant was a direct result of the prior pilot study.

The company said it believes that with the additional data, it will be in a position to move ahead with the broader commercialization of its sterilization process within the agriculture industry.

"Our USDA pilot program is a major milestone in the progression of our sterilization business and the culmination of many years of hard work and engineering," MagneGas chief executive officer Ermanno Santilli said. "Sterilization has been a core focus for the MagneGas technology since our formation. The USDA pilot further validates the progress we are making, and we believe it will serve as a key catalyst for market acceptance in the agricultural industry and a major financial opportunity for MagneGas."

Santilli added, "We are working diligently towards completing the setup of this USDA pilot for the dairy industry and, at the same time, are working towards establishing a commercialized pilot in North Carolina to service the hog industry. We also remain on track to launch our commercial program for the sterilization of leachates in landfills with our Italian partners in early 2018."

MagneGas' patented process converts various renewables and liquid wastes into MagneGas fuels, which can be used as an alternative to natural gas or for metal cutting.

The company also sells equipment for the sterilization of bio-contaminated liquid waste for various industrial and agricultural markets. In addition, it is developing a variety of ancillary uses for MagneGas fuels utilizing its high-flame temperature for co-combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and other advanced applications.