PHCI

What regulatory approvals are required to deploy the carbon‑conversion technology in the United States and Mexico, and what is the anticipated timeline for those approvals?

Created August 06, 2025 at 07:38 PM

Short answer

The Business Wire release about Panamera Holdings Corp. (PHCI) does not spell out the specific regulatory approvals that must be obtained, nor does it give a concrete schedule for when those approvals are expected. The press release only states that Panamera has closed a “head‑license agreement” with Rain Cage Carbon, giving it exclusive U.S.‑and‑Mexico rights to the carbon‑conversion technology.

Below is a general overview of the approvals that would normally be required to commercial‑scale a novel carbon‑conversion process in the United States and Mexico, together with typical timelines for those approvals. This information is compiled from publicly available regulatory frameworks and industry practice; it is not drawn from the Panamera announcement itself, which does not disclose any of these details.

1. United States – Typical regulatory pathway

Regulatory area	Primary agency / authority	Typical permit / approval	Key statutory basis	Typical “clock‑time” (from submission to issuance)
Air emissions / greenhouse‑gas (GHG) capture	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Office of Air and Radiation (OAR)	Title V Operating Permit (if a major source) or New Source Review (NSR) permit; Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) registration; Section 112 (Risk Management Plan) if hazardous substances are present	Clean Air Act (CAA) – §§ 112, 165, 173	6–12 months (state implementation agency may add 30–60 days)
Chemical safety / novel substances	EPA – Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics (OPPT)	TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) Pre‑manufacture Notification (PMN) or Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) if the technology uses a new chemical	TSCA	30 days for EPA review (can be extended up to 90 days with public comment)
Water discharges (if process uses or produces wastewater)	EPA – Office of Water / State Water Boards	National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit	Clean Water Act (CWA)	30–90 days (state‑specific)
Resource recovery / waste handling	EPA & State Environmental Agencies	RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) permit for hazardous waste handling, if applicable	RCRA	45–180 days depending on waste classification
Energy / fuel‑related approvals	Department of Energy (DOE) – Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)	DOE Grant/Co‑funding agreements (if seeking federal incentives)	Various DOE programs (e.g., ARPA‑E)	Varies; award cycles are typically 6–12 months
Site‑specific land‑use / building permits	Local/State Planning & Building Departments	Conditional Use Permit, building permit, fire safety review	Local zoning ordinances, International Building Code (IBC)	30–90 days (depends on municipality)
Export / import of CO₂ or other carbon products	U.S. Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)	Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) licensing, if technology is subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)	EAR	10–45 days (standard review)

Approximate overall timeline in the United States

Fast‑track (well‑engineered, low‑hazardous‑substance process): 12–18 months from first permit application to “shovel‑ready” status.
More complex (involves new chemicals, large‑scale emissions, hazardous waste): 18–30 months, often driven by the EPA’s NSR/Title V and TSCA reviews.

2. Mexico – Typical regulatory pathway

Regulatory area	Primary agency / authority	Typical permit / approval	Key statutory basis	Typical “clock‑time” (from submission to issuance)
Air quality & GHG	Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT) – Dirección General de Protección Ambiental (DGPA)	Installation Permit (Permiso de Instalación) and Operating Permit (Permiso de Operación) for “fuentes fijas” (fixed sources)	Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente (LGEEPA) – Articles 91‑93	3–6 months (federal); additional 30–60 days at state level
Chemical registration / new substances	COFEPRIS (Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios)	Registro Sanitario for new chemicals; Notificación de Sustancia Química if hazardous	NOM‑035‑SSA‑2‑2018 (Chemical safety)	30 days (can be extended if public comment)
Water use & discharge	Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) & SEMARNAT	Water Use Permit (Permiso de Uso de Agua); Wastewater Discharge Permit (Vertido)	Ley de Aguas Nacionales	60–120 days
Waste handling	PROFEPA (Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente) & SEMARNAT	RCRA‑equivalent permit for hazardous waste, Residues Management Authorization	LGEEPA, Reglamento de Residuos Peligrosos	45–150 days
Energy/Industrial incentives	Secretaría de Economía – Nacional Financiera (NAFIN) & Fondo Nacional de Energía	Incentive Agreements (e.g., “Fondo de Innovación Tecnológica”)	Various federal programmes	6–12 months (application cycle)
Site‑specific permits	Municipal governments (e.g., Zoning, Construction)	Licencia de Construcción, Uso de Suelo	Local Planning Laws	30–90 days
Import of equipment / technology	Aduanas (Customs) & Secretaría de Economía (through the VUC – “Ventanilla Única de Comercio Exterior”)	Import Permit for high‑tech equipment (if subject to Reglamento de la Ley de la Industria Manufacturera), Certificate of Origin	Ley de Comercio Exterior	10–30 days

Approximate overall timeline in Mexico

Standard commercial deployment (no novel chemicals, modest emissions): 9–15 months to obtain all federal and state permits.
Highly regulated scenario (new catalytic materials, large‑scale CO₂ capture): 15–24 months, primarily due to the SEMARNAT installation‑operating permit process and any required COFEPRIS chemical registration.

3. How this maps to Panamera’s announced deal

Item	What the press release tells us	What we can infer (based on typical regulatory steps)
Regulatory approvals mentioned	None – the release only notes the signing of a “head‑license agreement” with exclusive U.S.‑and‑Mexico rights.	Panamera will likely need to secure the permits listed above before any commercial plant can be built or the technology can be operated.
Timeline disclosed	No timeline is provided in the announcement.	Assuming Panamera follows a “standard‑industry” path, a first‑of‑a‑kind carbon‑conversion plant could anticipate 12–18 months in the United States and 9–15 months in Mexico, provided the technology does not trigger additional hazardous‑substance reviews. If the process uses novel catalysts or high‑pressure CO₂ streams, the upper ends of those ranges (up to ~24–30 months) would be more realistic.
Current status	“Head license agreement closed” – indicates exclusive rights have been transferred, but does not imply any permitting work has started.	Panamera (or its partner Rain Cage Carbon) will probably initiate the permitting process shortly after the agreement, coordinating with U.S. EPA/State agencies and Mexican SEMARNAT/COFEPRIS.

4. Key take‑aways for an investor or stakeholder

No explicit regulatory roadmap has been disclosed in the Business Wire article. Expect Panamera to file for the standard suite of environmental, chemical‑safety, water‑use, and land‑use permits in both countries before any pilot or commercial plant can be commissioned.
Regulatory risk in the U.S. is centered on EPA approvals (Title V/NSR, TSCA) and any state‑level air‑quality permits, especially if the technology involves new catalysts or high‑temperature/high‑pressure reactors.
Mexican regulatory risk is focused on obtaining SEMARNAT installation/operation permits and any COFEPRIS chemical registration; the process can be faster than the U.S. but may involve extensive environmental impact assessments (EIA) at the state level.
Typical schedule for a first commercial rollout of a novel carbon‑conversion system, assuming no major technical surprises, is 12–18 months in the U.S. and 9–15 months in Mexico from the start of the permitting effort. Companies often stage the work (e.g., apply for federal permits first, then state/municipal) to compress the overall timeline.
Strategic implication: The exclusive license gives Panamera a first‑mover advantage, but the ultimate commercial timeline will be driven by how quickly the company can navigate the above permitting processes. Until those approvals are publicly announced, the precise deployment schedule remains uncertain.

Bottom line

Regulatory approvals required: Federal (EPA, DOE, EPA‑TSCA, NPDES, RCRA) and relevant state/local permits in the U.S.; SEMARNAT, COFEPRIS, CONAGUA, and municipal permits in Mexico, plus any export‑control or incentive program authorizations.
Anticipated timeline: Generally 12–18 months for the United States and 9–15 months for Mexico, with potential extensions to 24–30 months if the technology is classified as a “new chemical” or “high‑risk industrial source.”

Because the press release itself does not specify either the approvals or the timetable, these estimates are based on the standard regulatory framework for deploying a large‑scale carbon‑conversion plant in the two jurisdictions.