New project will use ACU salt reactor to ‘address Texas' critical energy and water needs'
(PRESS RELEASE) – Texas Tech University is partnering with Natura Resources and Abilene Christian University to deploy Natura's molten salt reactor (MSR) currently under construction at ACU. The collaboration aims to integrate MSR technology with water desalination and energy production systems, addressing Texas' critical energy and water needs.
Why This Matters:
Water Security: The integration of MSRs with desalination technology offers a sustainable solution to Texas' growing water scarcity through purification of produced water generated by oil and gas production.
Energy Innovation: Small modular MSRs provide a scalable, clean energy source, helping meet the state's increasing energy demands.
Economic Growth: The partnership will accelerate the commercial development of MSRs and fosters business opportunities, research funding and job creation, strengthening Texas' leadership in advanced energy and water technologies.
Workforce Development: This project aims to create a workforce trained in chemical operations at extreme conditions, directly benefiting Texas.
Texas Tech University announced today (Jan. 28) that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Natura Resources LLC of Abilene and Abilene Christian University to seek business opportunities and funding for projects related to Natura's molten salt reactor (MSR) currently under construction on the ACU campus.
The collaboration, which includes the Texas Produced Water Consortium (TxPWC) located at Texas Tech, builds on the rapid progress of the Natura MSR-1 system, which
has become one of the nation's leading advanced reactor projects. Together, the partners will demonstrate the potential for Natura's commercial reactors to address Texas' critical water and energy needs by integrating MSR technology with water desalination and energy production systems.
'This partnership will address critical challenges we face as a state,' said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. 'By working with Natura and Abilene Christian University, we're securing crucial water resources and driving innovation in energy. By creating greater access to water, energy and jobs, we will contribute to a stronger future for our communities. Texas Tech is proud to be part of this collaborative effort.'
Texas faces significant challenges in meeting its growing demand for clean energy and water. Small modular MSRs offer a promising and scalable solution and could become a valuable asset to purify produced water generated by oil and gas wells, which is then available for agricultural and other beneficial uses. The integration of MSR technology with desalination systems will provide a sustainable and efficient way to address these needs.
'Natura Resources' MSR technology represents a significant advancement in clean energy innovation, equipping Texas with the tools to meet its energy and water needs for decades to come,' said Doug Robison, founder and president of Natura Resources. 'Our partnership with Texas Tech University and Abilene Christian University exemplifies our collaborative approach to addressing critical challenges and driving technological advancements. This collaboration will pave the way for the commercial development and deployment of MSR technology in Texas and beyond.'
Texas Tech's faculty members bring extensive expertise in chemical process engineering, separation technologies and the high-temperature environments required for MSRs. The university has developed a strong reputation for research in extreme conditions, drawing from its experience with oil well technology. The TxPWC is leading research and development of purification of produced water and its beneficial use for Texans. Additionally, Reese Center, located west of the university's main campus in Lubbock, provides a secure and specialized environment for conducting the research necessary to advance MSR systems.
'ACU has long standing relationships with Natura and Texas Tech, so it's exciting when our research and technology initiatives align in this kind of unique partnership,' said Phil Schubert, ACU president. 'We look forward to growing opportunities and making a real difference in Texas and around the world.'
The next steps for this partnership include the completion of the demonstration reactor and the development of systems to integrate Natura's reactors with water desalination and energy production technologies.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Study: Real-world results of GLP-1 drugs don't match trials
Real-world results for blockbuster weight-loss meds like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound aren't as impressive as those promised by the drugs' clinical trials, a new study says. People taking such GLP-1 drugs lost just under 9% of their body weight on average after a year, researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Obesity. That's far less than the 15% to 21% body weight reduction promised by the clinical trials that led to the approval of Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) for weight loss, researchers said. "Patients treated for obesity with semaglutide or trizepatide lost less weight on average in a regular clinical setting compared to what is observed in randomized clinical trial," lead investigator Hamlet Gasoyan said in a news release. He is a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Value-Based Care Research. People taking the drugs in real-world settings appear to be more likely to quit taking the meds, researchers said. They also might be prescribed lower dosages in clinical practice than were used in the drug trials. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food. For this study, researchers tracked nearly 7,900 patients being treated by the Cleveland Clinic for severe obesity, of whom about 6,100 were prescribed semaglutide and the rest tirzepatide. Average body weight loss after a year was nearly 9% for the whole group, results show. But weight loss varied based on when a person stopped taking the drugs, researchers found. Average weight loss was under 4% for those who stopped treatment early, versus nearly 7% or those who stopped later on, the study says. Those who stayed on their medications lost an average 12% body weight. Results also show that more than 4 in 5 (81%) of patients were prescribed a low maintenance dose of their GLP-1 drug, and that made a difference as well. People who stayed on their meds and received high doses lost nearly 14% of their body weight with semaglutide and 18% with tirzepatide. "Our findings about the real-world use patterns of these medications and associated clinical outcomes could inform the decisions of health care providers and their patients on the role of treatment discontinuation and maintenance dosage in achieving clinically meaningful weight reductions," Gasoyan said. Overall, patients had higher odds of losing 10% or more of their body weight after a year if they remained on their meds, were prescribed a high dosage, were taking tirzepatide rather than semaglutide, and were female, results show. The cost of the drugs and problems were insurance were a common reason for patients stopping GLP-1 treatment, along with side effects and medication shortages, researchers said. Staying on the GLP-1 meds particularly helped the nearly 17% of patients who had prediabetes, a condition in which elevated blood sugar levels increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. About 68% of those who stuck with their treatment wound up with normal blood sugar levels, compared with 41% who stopped taking the drugs later in the study and 33% who stopped earlier. "Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common complications of obesity, so diabetes prevention is very important," Gasoyan said. "This study highlights that treatment discontinuation, especially early, negatively affects both weight and glycemic control outcomes." A follow-up study is in the works to better track why patients stop taking their GLP-1 drugs, researchers said. More information Harvard Medical School has more on GLP-1 drugs. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business Wire
KBRA Assigns a Preliminary Rating to AASET MT-1 Limited, Series 2025-2 Notes
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA assigns a preliminary rating to AASET MT-1 Limited and AASET MT-1 LLC (together, AASET MT-1 or the Issuer), Series 2025-2, an aviation ABS transaction. The issuance of the Series A-2 Notes and Series B-2 Notes (together, the Series 2025-2 Notes) represents the Issuer's second issuance from AASET MT-1 following the issuance of the Series A-1 Notes and Series B-1 Notes (together, the Series 2025-1 Notes), which closed on February 7, 2025. In conjunction with the issuance of the Series 2025-2 Notes, KBRA anticipates affirming the rating on the Issuer's outstanding Series A-1 Notes. Proceeds from the Series 2025-1 Notes facilitated the acquisition of 23 aircraft (the 2025-1 Aircraft) identified at the time of the closing of the Series 2025-1 Notes (see KBRA's AASET MT-1, Series 2025-1 (f/k/a AASET 2025-1 Limited) New Issue Report for further information). The Series 2025-2 Notes will facilitate the acquisition of 23 additional aircraft (the 2025-2 Aircraft) to be acquired within 270 days following the closing date of the Series 2025-2 Notes. The cumulative acquisitions are hereafter referred to as the Portfolio and will include 46 assets; consisting of 43 narrowbody aircraft and three widebody aircraft on lease (or expected to be on lease to) to 26 lessees located in 18 jurisdictions. As of May 31, 2025 (the Cutoff Date), the weighted average age of the Portfolio is approximately 8.8 years, and the weighted average remaining term of the initial lease contracts is approximately 5.6 years. As of the Cutoff Date, the Portfolio has a value of approximately $1.3 billion. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here. Click here to view the report. Related Publication AASET MT-1 Limited, Series 2025-1 (f/k/a AASET 2025-1 Limited) New Issue Report Methodologies Disclosures Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above. A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here. Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here. Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at About KBRA Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), one of the major credit rating agencies (CRA), is a full-service CRA registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a Designated Rating Organization (DRO) by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized as a Qualified Rating Agency by Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission and is recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider (CRP) in the U.S. Doc ID: 1009873
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
KBRA Assigns a Preliminary Rating to AASET MT-1 Limited, Series 2025-2 Notes
NEW YORK, June 11, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA assigns a preliminary rating to AASET MT-1 Limited and AASET MT-1 LLC (together, AASET MT-1 or the Issuer), Series 2025-2, an aviation ABS transaction. The issuance of the Series A-2 Notes and Series B-2 Notes (together, the Series 2025-2 Notes) represents the Issuer's second issuance from AASET MT-1 following the issuance of the Series A-1 Notes and Series B-1 Notes (together, the Series 2025-1 Notes), which closed on February 7, 2025. In conjunction with the issuance of the Series 2025-2 Notes, KBRA anticipates affirming the rating on the Issuer's outstanding Series A-1 Notes. Proceeds from the Series 2025-1 Notes facilitated the acquisition of 23 aircraft (the 2025-1 Aircraft) identified at the time of the closing of the Series 2025-1 Notes (see KBRA's AASET MT-1, Series 2025-1 (f/k/a AASET 2025-1 Limited) New Issue Report for further information). The Series 2025-2 Notes will facilitate the acquisition of 23 additional aircraft (the 2025-2 Aircraft) to be acquired within 270 days following the closing date of the Series 2025-2 Notes. The cumulative acquisitions are hereafter referred to as the Portfolio and will include 46 assets; consisting of 43 narrowbody aircraft and three widebody aircraft on lease (or expected to be on lease to) to 26 lessees located in 18 jurisdictions. As of May 31, 2025 (the Cutoff Date), the weighted average age of the Portfolio is approximately 8.8 years, and the weighted average remaining term of the initial lease contracts is approximately 5.6 years. As of the Cutoff Date, the Portfolio has a value of approximately $1.3 billion. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here. Click here to view the report. Related Publication AASET MT-1 Limited, Series 2025-1 (f/k/a AASET 2025-1 Limited) New Issue Report Methodologies ABS: Aviation ABS Global Rating Methodology Structured Finance: Global Structured Finance Counterparty Methodology ESG Global Rating Methodology Disclosures Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above. A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here. Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here. Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at About KBRA Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), one of the major credit rating agencies (CRA), is a full-service CRA registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a Designated Rating Organization (DRO) by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized as a Qualified Rating Agency by Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission and is recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider (CRP) in the U.S. Doc ID: 1009873 View source version on Contacts Analytical Contacts Michael Lepri, Senior Director (Lead Analyst)+1 Yash Talathi, Senior Analyst+1 Alan Greenblatt, Managing Director+1 Chris Baffa, Senior Director (Rating Committee Chair)+1 Business Development Contact Arielle Smelkinson, Senior Director+1