Transcript Document 7287633

Renewable EnergyBiomass
Paul and Chetta
Biomass
The term “biomass” refers to any
form of plant or animal tissue. In
the energy industry, biomass refers
to wood, straw, biological waste,
such as manure, and any other
nature materials that contain stored
energy (www.re-energy.ca)
Biomass-Energy
The energy stored in biomass can be
released by burning the material
directly, or by feeding it to microorganisms that use it to make
biogas, a form of natural
gas.(www.re-energy.ca)
Biomass-USA
Biomass-Govt
Any solid non-hazardous cellulosic
waste material which is segregated
from other waste materials and
which is delivered from (A) forestrelated resources, (B) solid waste
materials, and (C) agricultural
sources.
Energy Policy
Federal Govt. projections of renewable:
2005-07: Not less than 3%
2008-10: Not less than 5%
2011- : Not less than 7.5%
Grants Program: Payment will not exceed 20 per ton
$75M annually for spending on Biomass/Biofuels
Projects: U. of TN- Switch grass ($1M)
IO State clean energy gasification from switch
grass ($250K)
MI soybean biodiesel ($300K)
NE soybean oil for biodiesel ($500K)
Biomass-Biofuels
Converting
biomass into
liquid fuels for
transportation
Biomass-Biopower
Burning biomass
directly, or
converting it into
fuel or, to
generate
electricity
Biomass-Bioproducts
Converting biomass
into chemicals for
making products
that are made
from petroleum
Agricultural Crops
Cane, corn, wheat,
sorghum and vegetable
oil-bearing crops
Liquid fuel sources
either as ethanol or
biodiesel
Residues- rice husk,
sugar cane fiber,
coconut husks,
groundnut shells, straw
Ethanol
Used to produce Gasohol
Made from Corn or Sugar cane
Currently used widely in the Midwest
and South
10% ethanol and 90% gasoline
New technologies are using switch
grass and willow, more efficient
Animal Waste
Most common are
manure’s from pigs,
chickens and cattle
(feed lots)
Convert waste via
anaerobic digestion
into biogas
Forestry crops
Fast-growing and
coppicing
Residues are
generated by
thinning , clearing for
roads, extracting
stem wood for pulp
and timber, sawdust,
off-cuts, bark and
woodchip
Industrial waste
Solid waste-peelings
from fruits and
veggies,
substandard food,
filter sludge's and
coffee grounds
Liquid waste-washing
meats, fruits and
veggies pre-cooking,
wine making
Municipal waste
Millions of ton(s) into
landfills
Converted into energy
by direct combustion
or anaerobic
digestion, with gas
collected from the
stored material
Sewage-Biogas
production
Anaerobic Digestion
Decomposition of wet
and green biomass
thru bacterial action
w/o oxygen
Mixed gas output of
methane and carbon
dioxide
Pipeline distribution
Biogas is produced
using animal manure
Can be burnt directly
for cooking or
heating or used as
fuel in combustion
engines
Methane
Benefits
Renewable that does not
contribute to global
warming-recycled in
next generation of trees
Negligible sulphur content
Conversion of agricultural,
forestry, municipal
waste reduced landfill
The growing of trees and
plants remove carbon
dioxide during
photosynthesis and
store carbon
Fast growing trees recycle
carbon rapidly
Energy crops provide dual
purpose of soil
protection, drought and
habitat
Benefits-Economically
New technologies to create
ethanol from switch grass
and willow trees
Farmers profit
Marginal lands can be used
Domestic resource
Job increase
Byproducts can be used as
animal feeds, fertilizer and
soil amendments
Local energy for communities
Biogas from landfills
Problems
Biomass has low energy
density-transportation
Incomplete combustionlocalized air pollution
Biomass-combustionpollution
Deforestation
Conflict of land use for other
uses,-farming
Not fully competitive
Takes energy to make energy
Exotics
Increased need for pesticides
and fertilizers
While landfill space is saved,
may destroy resources that
could be recycled or reused
Waste products, wood, tires,
sewage can contain
contaminants
Problems-Economically
Ethanol production is viable
with federal tax subsidies
Growing corn for ethanol has
high production costs and
impacts from fertilizers,
pesticides and fuels
Conversion efficiency low
Short term production cost
high, cheaper in the longterm
Biomass is not free-labor,
equipment, fuel costs
Landfill methane technologies
are perceived to have “high
risk” (DOE)
Biomass Use
3% of primary energy
in industrialized
countries
Developing countries,
especially rural
areas use 50% of
traditional biomass
(wood)
Future within Biomass
Strategies must be different in different
geographical areas; determined by land
quality, land uses, competing uses and
the areas demands for energy.
Future
Several Indian tribes, BLM and
Forest Service are
developing small biomass
energy systems as healthy
forest initiative
Biodiesel is cleaner alternative
DOE sponsoring efforts to
increase conversion
efficiencies
Gasifier technology being used
in HI to produce hydrogen
from biomass (Bagasse,
nutshells, sugar cane, switch
grass)
Direct combustion within boilers
to produce energy
40 million vehicles run on
alcohol in Brazil
Monsanto and Shell have
teamed to produce
genetically modified, rapid
growing trees
Biomass accounts for 1.6% of
total US electricity
Should anything that creates
pollution in order to create
energy be considered green,
clean or renewable?