pilot plant

American  

noun

1. an experimental industrial plant in which processes or techniques planned for use in full-scale operation are tested in advance.

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pilot plant British  

noun

1. a small-scale industrial plant in which problems can be identified and solved before the full-scale plant is built

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Etymology

Origin of pilot plant

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pilot plant

Critical Metals expects to begin a pilot plant program in May, beginning with a 150-metric-ton bulk sample.

From Barron's ● Apr. 17, 2026

The project, which kicked off in 2022, is working on a pilot plant that's due to be operational in the first half of this year - though it's hit some difficulties.

From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2024

Cai hopes that demonstrating the pilot plant will lead to larger-scale investment in the technology, as harnessing energy from fossil fuels adds to global warming and hurts the planet.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 7, 2024

The startup company Virtus Solis Technologies has also been testing power beaming and plans to launch a pilot plant into orbit in 2026.

From Science Magazine ● Jun. 5, 2023

So we're getting a pilot plant: eggs, incubator, and a knocked-down broiler battery so we can try the idea out.

From The Lani People by Bone, Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin)