Organic waste to baseload power

The MX-1 modular pyrolysis platform is Kore’s deployable technology for converting organic waste into baseload power and biocarbon without combustion.

Technology Overview

The system accepts a broad range of heterogeneous landfill and biomass-derived feedstocks. It then thermally converts these inputs in an oxygen-free environment to produce a high-quality gas for on-site power generation while also producing biocarbon.

Kore’s MX-1 platform is a modular, continuous pyrolysis system that converts abundant organic waste streams into dispatchable power and stable biocarbon.

Designed as pre-engineered, skid-mounted modules with a typical site footprint of one acre or less, the MX-1 platform integrates into existing landfill and utility infrastructure and operates continuously.

The closed-loop architecture is energy efficient, delivering reliable baseload electricity while permanently stabilizing a portion of the feedstock’s carbon in solid form rather than releasing it as atmospheric emissions.

process

STEP 1:

FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY

✓ Diverted, landfill-bound organic waste (municipal and commercial organics)
✓ Agricultural residues
✓ Forestry residues and biomass (where applicable)
✓ Other eligible organic fractions based on site and permitting

The Key

Plentiful feedstock from over 1,600 landfills nationwide = consistent output. Landfills are a steady supply chain.

STEP 2:

Material Handling

Feedstock is processed into a clean, consistent, reactor-ready input.

What happens in material handling:

✓ Multi-stage sorting and pre-processing to remove metals, rocks, oversized debris, and other contaminants
✓ Standardization + conditioning to neutralize variability across landfill organics and stabilize operations
✓ Pelletizing (where used) to increase bulk density for steadier mass flow and higher yields per ton

The Key

Standardized material handling protects equipment, increases uptime, and makes output predictable, improving operating margins.

STEP 3:

High-heat pyrolysis
(oxygen-free)

The core conversion happens in an oxygen-free environment:

✓ No combustion
✓ Closed-loop thermal conversion
✓ Controlled process conditions designed for consistent gas production

The Key

Controlled conditions enable repeatable conversion and consistent gas output that turns into consistent power output.

STEP 4:

Gas cleanup and conditioning

Produced gas is cleaned and conditioned for downstream use:

✓ Removal of impurities as required for the chosen output pathway
✓ Conditioning for stable operation and compliance
✓ Instrumentation and monitoring for verification

The Key

Clean, conditioned fuel supports reliability and protects downstream equipment.

STEP 5:

Outputs and routing

Depending on your site design and offtake strategy:

Electricity

routed to on-site generation, microgrid, or grid export

Biocarbon

handled as a stable carbon product supporting carbon-negative outcomes

The Key

You can design around what you need most: electrons, fuels, credits, or all three.

How it works

Key Technical Characteristics

Power Output per Module

Each Kore MX-1 module is designed to generate approximately 1.5 MW of clean baseload electricity, enabling incremental capacity expansion through standardized module clustering.

Thermal Process Type

The MX-1 utilizes a continuous pyrolysis process, that heats organic feedstock in the absence of combustion. Volatile components are converted into gas for energy production while fixed carbon is retained in solid form.

Operating Temperature Range

The system operates at process temperatures exceeding 1,000°F, enabling efficient volatilization of organic compounds and production of a high-quality gas that is suitable for stable power generation.

Continuous Duty Cycle Capability

The MX-1 is engineered for continuous industrial operation, supporting baseload generation rather than batch cycling. The modular configuration allows individual units to operate independently within a cluster, improving overall system uptime and maintenance flexibility.

Emissions Profile

The system relies on non-combustion conversion rather than incineration of raw feedstock; criteria pollutant formation is structurally reduced at the conversion stage. Gas conditioning prior to power generation further supports controlled and permit-compliant emissions performance consistent with distributed industrial energy systems.

Carbon Retention Mechanism

During pyrolysis, a portion of the feedstock's carbon is converted into a stable biocarbon. Unlike combustion, which oxidizes carbon into CO₂, this thermal process preserves carbon in solid form. The resulting biocarbon exhibits structural stability suitable for long-term carbon retention pathways, preventing immediate atmospheric release and enabling measurable carbon sequestration potential depending on end use.

specs and architecture

Modular units

Factory-built modules designed for replication

Clustered to meet capacity needs

Built, owned, and operated by Kore as-a-service for standardized commissioning and operating

Footprint and site fit

Typical installation footprint is about one acre

Designed to integrate into industrial footprints in regulated environments

Compatible with distributed siting and network buildouts

Commercial-scale readiness

Proven at commercial scale in downtown Los Angeles (SoCalGas partnership)

Built for real-world operations

Deploys as modular units co-located at landfills

Integration-first engineering

Interfaces with on-site generation, microgrids, and grid interconnects

Designed for control, monitoring, and performance verification

Built to support operational redundancy strategies

Feedstock & Material Handling

The MX-1 is designed to process a broad range of heterogeneous organic waste streams commonly found at landfills, including wood residues, green waste, and compost overs. The system tolerates typical moisture variability and integrates on-site preparation to ensure consistent thermal performance. Projects are supported by long-term tipping fee agreements, aligning feedstock security with power offtake contracts.