U.S. aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin is getting into the bioenergy business, and has signed a contract to build a power generation facility in Germany using green energy company Concord Blue's patented Reformer technology.

The facility, which will be erected in Herten, will be able to generate as much as five megawatts of electricity derived from forestry waste. The waste will be converted to bioenergy using a series of advanced gasification techniques.

"Lockheed Martin is excited to manufacture the Concord Blue technology, which advances how the world addresses clean energy and waste reduction challenges," Mauricio Vargas, head of Lockheed Martin's new bioenergy ventures, said in a press release. "The Herten facility will demonstrate the accessibility of innovative energy technology to global customers."

At peak power, the plant is expected to satisfy the energy needs of at least 5,000 homes and businesses. It will also help solve waste disposal issues in the region.

"The partnership with Lockheed Martin, a global technology leader, was an important milestone for Concord Blue," added Concord Blue founder and CEO Charlie Thannhaeuser.

Concord Blue's Reformer technology relies on a process called steam thermolysis, which uses heat transfer rather than incineration -- avoiding the pollution that accompanies combustion -- to convert all types of organic waste into clean energy.

"We can transfer heat with no oxygen," Thannhaeuser explained in a recent interview. "Because we use no oxygen, we eliminate all the nasties such as dioxins, furans and tars."