On an annual basis, methane gas explosions claim the lives of thousands of coal miners and generate an estimated $45 billion in economic losses worldwide. Torrey Hills is developing novel methane capture and recovery techniques to supplement ventilation, which is the only established and proven technology for alleviating methane problems. Since modern coal mines have complicated underground networks, it is virtually impossible to ventilate every corner equally.

By developing inventive and affordable methane-capturing products and processes, Torrey Hills is targeting three critical global issues: preventing and mitigating gas explosions, capturing greenhouse emissions that damage the environment, and converting methane gas into liquid methanol, which is a clean fuel and a useful chemical raw material. The company has received two rounds of SBIR funding from the National Science Foundation and is seeking investors for the commercialization phase.