Comments on: If Obama stops dirty coal, as he must, what will replace it? Part 2: An intro to biomass cofiring http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:45:16 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Alex Reichardt http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-183203 Alex Reichardt Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:34:59 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-183203 Some of the comments to "cofiring of biomass in fossile energy power plants" are more or less professional. Obviously because not everyone knows that wourldwide renewable biomass is available in excessive quantity with wich the worlds energy balance can be easely covered. The biggest problem of the future is not only the climate house effect but the increase of popullation and the production of food for them. For increasing the food production more nutrition of the soil is necessary. Presently fertilizers are made mainly by natural gas and crude oil. If we continue to burn this fossile raw materials we do not only hurry up the climate house effect but we will also not be able to feed the future population. The result will be: deseas, wars and masses of migrants from poor to rich countries etc.... We, in the industrialized world, have the obligation to take care that this development should not take place otherwise we will distroy our childrens environment and future. Therefore all of us have to take care that fossile energy is replaced by renewable biomass energy, excluding crops being used in the production of human and animal food. Renewable biomass does not grow only in woods but mainly on the fields in form of Straw, Hemp, Switchgrass, Miscanthus, Igniscum and are also available in form of Bagasse, Expeller of oil production, and all other sorts of stalks, leaves, shell and husk. The technologies to transform this renewable biomasses into solid, gas or liquid fuel and this to energy are known and available. The only problem until now was missing equipment to convert this bulky biomass in industrial quantities and to reasonable costs into high density, good handable, long storagible and easy transportable format. Allthought this problems may be solved in the future. Since few months a new mobile pelletizing unit under the name "PELLET-MOBIL" of a german producer is on the marked with wich 2,5 - 3 tons/ hour of biomass can be converted to high density pellets. It is equipped with an electrical generator of 500 kW driven by a 12 cylinder engine on fuel oil or plant oil basis and may produce pellets all around the clock and year. It can be feeded eighter with bales but also with shredded or milled raw material. Capacities of more than 10.000 tons of pellets / year and per unit are possible. The construction is based on a stationary pellet plant only installed on wheels and equipped with its own power plant. Due to it, bulky biomass has not to be transported to the pellet plant but the pellet plant is brought to the producer, to the farmer, who may convert its own straw to pellets, encreasing herewith its hectar crop incoms by more than 20 %. By this the farmer transforms a part of his activity from agricultor to renewable energy producer, creating new working places and jobs for labour with poor professional education. 10.000 tons of straw pellets have a calorific value of approx. 43.000 MWh and replace the energy of approx. 6.320 tons of brown coal, 4.800 tons of fuel oil or 3.900 tons of natural gas and save more than 1.290 tons of fossile CO2 emmissions. USA dispose of gigantic renewable energy resources and could replace within less than 20 years its whole fossile energy production by renewable biomasses. The ash of the fired biomass could be used as fertilizer for the soil, closing herewith the natural nutrition circle. Therefore don't only argue about utilization of renewable energy, do somthing for it and for your children future!!! Some of the comments to “cofiring of biomass in fossile energy power plants” are more or less professional. Obviously because not everyone knows that wourldwide renewable biomass is available in excessive quantity with wich the worlds energy balance can be easely covered.
The biggest problem of the future is not only the climate house effect but the increase of popullation and the production of food for them. For increasing the food production more nutrition of the soil is necessary. Presently fertilizers are made mainly by natural gas and crude oil. If we continue to burn this fossile raw materials we do not only hurry up the climate house effect but we will also not be able to feed the future population. The result will be: deseas, wars and masses of migrants from poor to rich countries etc….
We, in the industrialized world, have the obligation to take care that this development should not take place otherwise we will distroy our childrens environment and future. Therefore all of us have to take care that fossile energy is replaced by renewable biomass energy, excluding crops being used in the production of human and animal food.
Renewable biomass does not grow only in woods but mainly on the fields in form of Straw, Hemp, Switchgrass, Miscanthus, Igniscum and are also available in form of Bagasse, Expeller of oil production, and all other sorts of stalks, leaves, shell and husk.
The technologies to transform this renewable biomasses into solid, gas or liquid fuel and this to energy are known and available. The only problem until now was missing equipment to convert this bulky biomass in industrial quantities and to reasonable costs into high density, good handable, long storagible and easy transportable format.
Allthought this problems may be solved in the future. Since few months a new mobile pelletizing unit under the name “PELLET-MOBIL” of a german producer is on the marked with wich 2,5 – 3 tons/ hour of biomass can be converted to high density pellets. It is equipped with an electrical generator of 500 kW driven by a 12 cylinder engine on fuel oil or plant oil basis and may produce pellets all around the clock and year. It can be feeded eighter with bales but also with shredded or milled raw material. Capacities of more than 10.000 tons of pellets / year and per unit are possible. The construction is based on a stationary pellet plant only installed on wheels and equipped with its own power plant. Due to it, bulky biomass has not to be transported to the pellet plant but the pellet plant is brought to the producer, to the farmer, who may convert its own straw to pellets, encreasing herewith its hectar crop incoms by more than 20 %. By this the farmer transforms a part of his activity from agricultor to renewable energy producer, creating new working places and jobs for labour with poor professional education.

10.000 tons of straw pellets have a calorific value of approx. 43.000 MWh and replace the energy of approx. 6.320 tons of brown coal, 4.800 tons of fuel oil or 3.900 tons of natural gas and save more than 1.290 tons of fossile CO2 emmissions.
USA dispose of gigantic renewable energy resources and could replace within less than 20 years its whole fossile energy production by renewable biomasses. The ash of the fired biomass could be used as fertilizer for the soil, closing herewith the natural nutrition circle.

Therefore don’t only argue about utilization of renewable energy, do
somthing for it and for your children future!!!

]]> By: Theodore http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-33856 Theodore Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:31:55 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-33856 I'm perpetually astonished at the effort people will put into finding less desirable alternatives to the obvious forms of clean energy. Being forced to eventually settle for CSP when all other options have been exhausted will apparently be a big disappointment. I’m perpetually astonished at the effort people will put into finding less desirable alternatives to the obvious forms of clean energy. Being forced to eventually settle for CSP when all other options have been exhausted will apparently be a big disappointment.

]]> By: Richard Mercer http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32497 Richard Mercer Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:31:32 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32497 Growing plants to make plastic makes more sense to me than growing crops to make fuel to burn. The process is said to be carbon neutral from beginning to end. There is even biofuel feedstock as a byproduct. Come to think of it, could this, alternatively, be a way maybve with some tinkering, to grow plants that pack a lot more fuel potential? Growing plants to make plastic makes more sense to me than growing crops to make fuel to burn. The process is said to be carbon neutral from beginning to end. There is even biofuel feedstock as a byproduct.

Come to think of it, could this, alternatively, be a way maybve with some tinkering, to grow plants that pack a lot more fuel potential?

]]> By: Richard Mercer http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32496 Richard Mercer Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:13:51 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32496 I'm not sure this is the right place to bring it up but I have a few other questions. Why is there not more emphasis on bioplastics in most discussions about energy and environment? Somewhere between 5-10% of our oil goes to making plastics. And we throw away much of it immediately in the form of packaging. It's a huge environmental problem in itself particularly in the ocean. The cutting edge technology seems to be that of company called Metabolix. They make PHA bioplastics, while most companies make PLA. They have gentically engineered bacteria that digest the plant matter and turn it into plastic. Simply stated, the bacteria puff up like popcorn full of plastic. Far fewer steps than other processes, like those used to make PLA, which require several fermenting steps. The PHA plastic is completely biodegradable, in fact 100% compostable without any heating or other treatment. PLA needs to be heated to about 150 F to compost it. PHA plastic will even safely break down in sea water. What's more, they have the ability to grow plastic in plants directly. They have already done this in pilot projects under a Federal research grant. They are not genetically modifying the plants, only the bacteria that they somehow introduce into the plants at the germinal stage. They have done this with switchgrass, producing plants with plastic in the leaves and stems. The wonders of science! The other topic is industrial hemp. It seem to me we should be moving toward making paper from hemp. We might even save the Boreal forest from destruction. While not huge climate solutions compared with power generation and efficiency, these are not small issues. Certainly deforestation is a big climate issue. And 5-10% of our oil consumption is substantial. I’m not sure this is the right place to bring it up but I have a few other questions.

Why is there not more emphasis on bioplastics in most discussions about energy and environment?

Somewhere between 5-10% of our oil goes to making plastics. And we throw away much of it immediately in the form of packaging. It’s a huge environmental problem in itself particularly in the ocean. The cutting edge technology seems to be that of company called Metabolix. They make PHA bioplastics, while most companies make PLA. They have gentically engineered bacteria that digest the plant matter and turn it into plastic. Simply stated, the bacteria puff up like popcorn full of plastic. Far fewer steps than other processes, like those used to make PLA, which require several fermenting steps.

The PHA plastic is completely biodegradable, in fact 100% compostable without any heating or other treatment.
PLA needs to be heated to about 150 F to compost it.
PHA plastic will even safely break down in sea water.

What’s more, they have the ability to grow plastic in plants directly. They have already done this in pilot projects under a Federal research grant. They are not genetically modifying the plants, only the bacteria that they somehow introduce into the plants at the germinal stage. They have done this with switchgrass, producing plants with plastic in the leaves and stems. The wonders of science!

The other topic is industrial hemp. It seem to me we should be moving toward making paper from hemp. We might even save the Boreal forest from destruction.

While not huge climate solutions compared with power generation and efficiency, these are not small issues.
Certainly deforestation is a big climate issue. And 5-10% of our oil consumption is substantial.

]]> By: Richard Mercer http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32495 Richard Mercer Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:44:13 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32495 jcwinnie mentioned anaerobic digesters. Has anyone done a study on what the potential is for generating power from farm waste alone, on a national or global scale? In other words, how much power could we produce if manure and other farm waste is used in anaerobic digesters to produce methane, and subsequently either burn the methane or use it in fuel cells. What are the pros and cons? A company called Environmental Power is doing this. They clean up the gas and pipe it into commercial natural gas pipelines. PG&E is buying gas from them. jcwinnie mentioned anaerobic digesters.

Has anyone done a study on what the potential is for generating power from farm waste alone, on a national or global scale? In other words, how much power could we produce if manure and other farm waste is used in anaerobic digesters to produce methane, and subsequently either burn the methane or use it in fuel cells.

What are the pros and cons?

A company called Environmental Power is doing this. They clean up the gas and pipe it into commercial natural gas pipelines. PG&E is buying gas from them.

]]> By: amazingdrx john schneider http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32452 amazingdrx john schneider Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:56:31 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-32452 What about the biomass diverted from soil sequestration from biomass combustion? The assumption that biomass is a carbon neutral fuel is eronious. Only drought killed forest that would otherwise burn could be carbon neutral. And it would be better used in biodigestion to produce both energy and fertilizer/soil ammendment. Wind is a better, faster way to reduce coal. And biogas from waste, and solar cogeneration with ground source heating/cooling. Burning biomass just doesn't make much sense compared to the better alternatives. What about the biomass diverted from soil sequestration from biomass combustion? The assumption that biomass is a carbon neutral fuel is eronious.

Only drought killed forest that would otherwise burn could be carbon neutral. And it would be better used in biodigestion to produce both energy and fertilizer/soil ammendment.

Wind is a better, faster way to reduce coal. And biogas from waste, and solar cogeneration with ground source heating/cooling. Burning biomass just doesn’t make much sense compared to the better alternatives.

]]> By: ecostew http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30853 ecostew Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:19:29 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30853 Show us the peer-reviewed science (including sustainability) David, and also, the peer-reviewed science that we should endorse it in a big way to mitigate AGW long-term world-wide. And, the potential difference biochar actually makes in amending soils for AGW in the long-term. Show us the peer-reviewed science (including sustainability) David, and also, the peer-reviewed science that we should endorse it in a big way to mitigate AGW long-term world-wide. And, the potential difference biochar actually makes in amending soils for AGW in the long-term.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30836 David B. Benson Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:07:14 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30836 ecostew --- No, they slash & chared. And didn't move on. ecostew — No, they slash & chared. And didn’t move on.

]]> By: ecostew http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30780 ecostew Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:20:52 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30780 They slash & burned and moved on through time - I haven't seen that factored into any sustainability analysis - where is the scientific support. They slash & burned and moved on through time – I haven’t seen that factored into any sustainability analysis – where is the scientific support.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30772 David B. Benson Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:17:18 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/23/if-obama-stops-dirty-coal-what-will-replace-it-part-2-an-introduction-to-biomass-cofiring/#comment-30772 ecostew --- The Amerindians produced terra preta for many thousands of years. Sounds sustainable to me. But using biochar buried to only soil depth to mitigate AGW, on anythiing approaching the required scale, is most unlikely to occur. ecostew — The Amerindians produced terra preta for many thousands of years. Sounds sustainable to me.

But using biochar buried to only soil depth to mitigate AGW, on anythiing approaching the required scale, is most unlikely to occur.

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