Well, to me, this is just further derisking of technology that is fundamentally new. As a large corporation that could potentially use this technology on every generating asset they own, you would want to take as many steps (and suffer any fiscal consequences) to ensure that it was the right move both strategically and economically.
Just think of LanzaTech, another environmental-tech company. They made a pilot plant in New Zealand in 2008, then two demonstration plants in China (BaoSteel in 2012 and Capital Steel in 2013) which where closer to 10x production quantities of the pilot plant. This was with two companies they where interested in partnering with (simular to NMDC/NLC). They are now working on their commercial assets which is another 10x the demonstration quantities and is due around 2016-2017.
Just to put this into perspective, LanzaTech has raised over $200 million USD in that time frame.
All of these techs need validation. If you where in NLCs/NMDCs position would you try make a commercial plant where you have to invest argueably tens of millions of dollars into something that has only been shown at pilot stage in another country? Try explain that to your shareholders.
Take all steps that are reasonably possible. Thats a motto to live by when expanding new technology.
