Grant aids Ohio firm´s coal byproduct project

Dec. 17 -- Cleveland-based Energy Industries of Ohio has received approval from the state for a $213,000 project grant to develop a commercial use for coal fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion.

The Ohio Coal Development Office grant is expected to lead to the commercial availability of aluminum foam made with fly ash, according to the state. Automotive companies, machine tool builders and their suppliers would use the aluminum foam in its industrial robot welding and piercing equipment.

In 2002, more than 76.5 million tons of fly ash was produced in the United States.