Transcript Value to Utilities of Agronomic Uses for Gypsum Lamar Larrimore Southern Company September 13, 2006

Value to Utilities of Agronomic
Uses for Gypsum
Lamar Larrimore
Southern Company
September 13, 2006
Large Volume Applications
• Wallboard - established
• Cement - established
• Agronomic - potential
– Crop yield
– Soil erosion
– Poultry waste runoff
Estimated Gypsum Production and Demand
U.S. Gypsum Production (M tons)
2004
Mined 18.0
Synthetic 12.0
Import 10.4
2010
2020
25.0
40.0
U.S. Gypsum Consumption (M tons)
2004
Total
FGD
Wallboard/Plaster 31.3
8.2
Cement
3.3
0.5
Agriculture
Crop
0.7
0.15
Erosion Control
Poultry Waste
* AL, FL, GA, MS only
Sources – USGS, USDA, ACAA
Future
Total
similar
similar
??
18.0 *
4.0 *
Conclusion –
Manufacturing
markets cannot
absorb all FGD
gypsum at peak
production
Gypsum Quality Requirements
• Manufacturing applications have tighter restrictions for
product performance needs
moisture, purity, chlorides, ash, particle size
• Agriculture has fewer criteria
moisture, chlorides, Ca/S
Environmental Questions
• Trace element content
• Potential volatilization of adsorbed emissions
• Plant tissue uptake
Possible Barriers
• Regulatory
– Environmental
– Agriculture
• Technical acceptance
• Utility interest / commitment
• Market composition
– Fragmented with scattered demand (good/bad)
• Marketers
– Few large regional / national players with agricultural
experience
– Utilities not set up for agricultural marketing
Reasons for Utility Interest
•
•
•
•
•
Low capital cost
Applicable for all power plants
Large potential market reduces storage needs
Fewer quality criteria
Broad needs
– Crops
– Soil types
– Industries
Actions
• Continue to develop additional technical
performance and environmental information
• Develop demonstrations to lend credibility / publicity
to lab results and presentations
• Clearance on environmental regulations
• Achieve comfort level so that additional permits,
R&D, case studies not needed for commercial use
• Encourage utilities or larger commercial participants
to serve fragmented markets
• Involve U.S. and State Departments of Agriculture