In the 1930s, J. Lyell Ginter began developing ideas passed on to him by his father. This work resulted in the alpha patent for water and steam injection to control emissions that was filed with the U.S. Patent Office in 1968 and issued in 1972. After a hiatus of some twenty years, Lyell picked up the development of the VASThermogenerator™ again in the 1990s. His son, Gary, began to lead this effort in the late 1990s. Over the last twelve years, the VASTeam has recruited a multifaceted, multinational team of engineers, scientists, attorneys, marketers, and other resource people to develop VASTech into a commercially viable reality. Over $11 million has been invested in this effort to date, including approximately $8 million for Intellectual Property work. More than $5.5 million of this has come from Gary Ginter while over $2.2 million has been contributed by members of the VASTeam in the form of cash or deferred compensation.
In the years prior to 2005, VAST was heavily focused upon inventing and gaining adequate patent protection for its new combustion paradigm and its enabling engineering breakthroughs that provided a foundation for future commercial benefits to users of VASTechnologies™. Later work will include improved control systems and other refinements based on incorporating the VAST cycle into current operating equipment and systems. Realizing additional funding would be needed, and that a different legal structure would be required to attract that funding, VAST is in the process of a legal restructuring that will open the door for other accredited investors and strategic partners to participate in this commercialization effort.