Renewable Resources:Biological Emphasis

SLATE Winter 2006

Max D. Lechtman

Energy Policy Act - 2005

Energy Efficiency

• New Federal Efficiency Standards for household appliances

• 50,000 MW saved by 2020

• Consumers tax credits

• Energy Efficient Homes-business tax credits

• Businesses tax deductions

• Home Products-manufacturers tax credits

Electricity

• Reliability-new mandatory rules

• Market Manipulation-strengthens protections

• PUHCA Repeal-streamlines 1935 law, encourages investment in infrastructure

• Mergers-improved oversight

Hydropower

• Relicensing Reforms

Easing paperwork will continue cheap electricity

Coal

• Clean Coal production-tax credits

• Clean Coal Facilities-tax credits

• Transportation Fuel-$1billion for research

• Reducing Reliance on Foreign Oil & Gas– by 2025 need less oil and gas

• Creating New Jobs-55,000 coal miners

Oil

• Increased Domestic Production– improved production from existing sites

• Increasing Western States Production– streamline permitting process

• Innovative Technologies– encourage carbon sequestration

Natural Gas

• Developing More Natural Gas– Western States Pilot Program– Eliminates paperwork delays– 7 trillion cubic feet of new gas by 2020

Nuclear

• New Nuclear Plants– anticipate up to 19

• Increased Generation– 20,000 to 25,000 megawatts between 2015

and 2020

• Creation of New Jobs– 40,000 to 45,000 in construction– 10,000 high tech plant operations

Wind

• New Wind Production– extends tax credit

• Increased Capacity– 2,500 megawatts this year– 14,000 megawatts by 2007

• Environmental Issues– Offset 7 billion pounds of Carbon Dioxide

Solar

• More Solar Energy Generation– tax incentives

• Encourages Consumers– 30% tax credit for homeowners until 1 Jan.’08

Clean Fuels and Vehicles

• Environmental Issues– require ethanol to replace MTBE

• Lower Prices– decrease special fuels

• Hybrid Cars Tax Credit– replaces tax deduction with more generous

credit

Ethanol

• Economic Gains– Offset 2 billion barrels of oil– Improve farm economy

• New Ethanol Plants– More than 150 in the works

• Creation of New Jobs+234,840 by 2012

The Rainbow’s End

Anaerobic Process

Selected Biogas Projects

• The Cow Train-whole animal & manure

• Canadian Municipal Power-cow manure

• Antelope Valley-sewage

• GM-landfill gas

• Direct Fuel Cell-sewage

• UC Davis/Garbage

Cow Train

Cow Train

• Svensk Biogas Company

• Linkoping, Sweden

• 30 cows to get the 75 miles from Linkoping to Vastervik

• Chop animals into slurry, anaerobic digester produces biogas

• Can also use manure and other organic waste Discover, May 2006

Canadian Municipal Power

• Ontario Provincial Government

• Annual manure production from 5500 cattle will yield sufficient gas to produce:

7000 megawatts

9000 tons of fertilizer

Antelope Valley

• Sewage Gas-methane and hydrogen

Fuel cell-250 kilowatts

Microturbine-250 kilowatts

General Motors

• As of Feb. 2005, seven GM Plants use landfill gas for steam operations

• Annual savings of $500,000/plant

Direct Fuel Cell

• Japanese Industry Group Tests

• Biogas/Wastewater Treatment

• Evaluated electrical efficiency, exhaust heat recovery, and ability to reduce particulates,nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides

• Exceeded Japan’s strict environmental requirements

UC Davis

• New Anaerobic Digester Design

• Three tons/day of Municipal Garbage:– 600 kilowatts for Campus use– Fertilizer– Materials to make fiberboard

Ethanol

Ethanol

• Supplies expected to be tight this summer

• 155,000 barrels of MTBE to be replaced per day-but only 25,000 barrels of ethanol available

• Spot price $2.60/gallon; more than double last spring

• Industry expanding and expects to meet need for E10------what about E85??

Anything Into Oil

Anything Into Oil

• Feedstock can be:– Auto Residual Debris– Medical Waste– Municipal Solid Waste– Plastic Bottles– Sewage Sludge– Turkey Offal

Thermal Conversion Process

• Feedstock ground into small chunks• Mixed with water• 250 C + 600 pounds/square inch• Release pressure & boil off water• Separate crude hydrocarbons• 500 C• Distill• Can destroy prions

Products

% ProductsOil Biogas Carbon Water

SolidsTurkey39 6 5 50Plastic 70 16 6 8Sewage 26 9 8 57Medical

Waste 65 10 5 20

Products

One ton of Turkey Offal yields approximately:

600 pounds of oils

100 pounds of butane/methane

60 pounds of activated carbon-type material

plus good quality liquid plant fertilizer

Anything Into Oil

Changing World Technologies PlantCarthage, MO.

400 barrels/day of crude oil, refined to:No. 2—diesel and gasolineNo. 4—industrial heating

They expect to make a profit with the new Energy Policy Law tax credit.

Biodiesel

Process

Good News

• 85% vegetable oil

• Standard diesel engine

• Non-toxic, biodegradable

• Flammable at 350 F

• Good lubricant

• Cleaner emissions

Bad News

• Dissolves paint– will need to wipe spills ASAP

• Degrades rubber fuel lines/gaskets

• Good solvent– therefore may clog filter

• Gels at about 32 F– will need auxiliary heater for cold weather

Bibliography

• General Background www.energyjustice.net

• Energy Policy Law-2005 www.e85fuel.com/legislation/energy072705.pdf

• Ethanolwww.e85fuel.com/e85101/faqs/e85.php?topic=E85101

Bibliography

• Biodiesel, www.biofuelsoasis.com/html/basics.htmlwww.biodieselcommunity.org/howitsmade

• Anything Into Oil; Lemley, B., Discover April 2006; page 46-51.

• All Aboard The Cow Train, Carey, B., Discover May 2006, page 18.