DrumBeat: June 10, 2007
Posted by Leanan on June 10, 2007 - 9:31am
Topic: Miscellaneous
Saudi Arabia: An ally we cannot afford to lose
Saudi Arabia is such a key country. Strategically, it not only straddles Africa and the Middle East but it is also an important neighbour of two of the major problem countries in the region - Iraq and Iran. Saudi Arabia's importance to the oil market, with one quarter of the world's oil reserves, speaks for itself. It is also a crucial market for British defence companies. advertisementNo less important, Saudi Arabia is at the very heart of Islam - a responsibility of which the Saudis are deeply conscious. If one billion people turned in prayer towards Canterbury every day we might feel the same.
Those who think Saudi Arabia should be more democratic and that we should push them in that direction are - to use a fashionable term - delusional. Saudi society is far too complex and too fissured for that to be a viable option any time soon.
Roger Bezdek on peak oil, global warming and Australia (podcast)
Dr. Roger Bezdek, president of Management Information Systems Inc. and co-author of the Hirsch report and its follow up, talks with GPM's Australian correspondent Andi Hazelwood about the Hirsch report 2 and a half years on, peak oil, global warming and his upcoming Australian speaking tour.
Should We Globalize Labor Too?
No region bought the Washington Consensus more avidly than Latin America. Yet for two decades, the growth of its per capita G.D.P. has hovered close to zero. Everyone expected the countries of the former Soviet Union to face transitional hardships, but their average economic contraction has been greater than that of the Great Depression and longer-lasting. Sub-Saharan Africa, despite decades of Western aid, has had little growth, more wars and new epidemics. Some big-name optimists remain, most notably Jeffrey D. Sachs, whose best-selling book, “The End of Poverty” (foreword by Bono), argues that the West knows how to end extreme poverty by 2025. But Pritchett is more typical of his peers when he says of the development record, “If that hasn’t been sufficient to beat the hubris out of you, you haven’t been paying attention.”
Hey, somebody noticed: AFL-CIO Calls on Iraq to Stop Threatening Workers in Oil Fields
The AFL-CIO has called on the Iraqi Government to immediately stop using the threat of force to intimidate workers in Basra oil fields. The American labor federation issued a joint statement with the British Trade Union Congress today calling on Iraq to “pull back its security and military forces and cease its menacing threats to arrest and attack these workers immediately.” In addition, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney wrote a letter to Secretary of State Rice urging her to use diplomatic channels “to convey to the Iraqi government that military intervention is not the way to resolve this dispute.”
STATE Treasurer Michael Aird admits petrol prices in Tasmania could skyrocket as a result of his removal of a 2c-a-litre fuel subsidy in last week's Budget.
Parents and Health Experts Unite in Effort to Ease Pollution in Northern Italy
Tommaso Abbate, 16, found that the pollution levels at night in his living room were “really high” — 200 micrograms per cubic meter at one point. His home is along a busy thoroughfare, he said, and “we always open the windows.”During his 24 hours wearing the monitor, his average exposure was 127 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Health Organization says a safe target for such particles is 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
Proposed ethanol pant would need water from city – lots of it
A proposed ethanol plant could use up to 1.5 million gallons of water each day - about the same amount used by 20,000 city residents.
In the garage, shed or basement of nearly every gardener, you will find stacks of plastic pots. Then there are mulch bags, pesticide and fertilizer bottles, flat trays from six-packs of annuals. We think of our gardening as greening the world, but it generates an awful lot of plastic garbage.
Forget about high fuel prices. As harvest nears in western Kansas, the bigger concern is fuel supply. "I'm telling our producers to get their tanks full," said Pat Peterson, general manager of the United Plains Ag cooperative in Sharon Springs. "Supply is more important than price."A shortage of diesel fuel supplies is the result of a combination of weather and maintenance problems at refineries and terminals in the region that have caused slowdowns in production and problems with delivery.
Iran threatens Gulf blitz if US hits nuclear plants
IRAN has threatened to launch a missile blitz against the Gulf states and plunge the entire Middle East into war if America attacks its nuclear facilities.Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a senior defence adviser to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that Gulf states providing the US with military cooperation would be the key targets of a barrage of ballistic missiles.
Oil firms look East and to alternative sources of energy
Rob Routs, an executive director of Royal Dutch Shell Group, the world's second largest oil firm, told me the other day that the era of "easy oil", in which exploration and production costs were relatively low, was probably over, so it's unreasonable to expect the return of low oil prices any time soon.
Feds OK Wells on Colorado's Roan Plateau
Federal land managers on Friday authorized up to 1,570 new natural gas wells over the next 20 years on a 3,000-foot-high plateau prized for its energy reserves and its wildland qualities.
Fortune hunters eye Western Sahara oil riches
Following pressure from the UN and pro-Sahrawi activists, most serious oil companies pulled out of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. But now, a new group of fortune hunters is eying great financial opportunities in the probably oil-rich territory, ignoring international law. Investors from Ireland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the US and Sweden hide behind a jungle of interwoven small companies.
Suncor Energy reports oil sands production numbers for May 2007
Suncor Energy Inc. reported today that production at its oil sands facility during May averaged approximately 270,000 barrels per day (bpd). Year-to-date oil sands production at the end of May averaged approximately 246,000 bpd.Production began to ramp down during the end of May, as the oil sands facility prepared for a 50-day shutdown of one of its two upgraders. The shutdown, which is being completed to tie-in new facilities related to a planned expansion, will impact production rates during June and July. Suncor is targeting average oil sands production of 255,000 to 265,000 bpd in 2007. This production target was revised on April 26, 2007 from an original target of 260,000 to 270,000 bpd.
Cyclists peel off clothes to push pedaling, protest pump
Hundreds of naked cyclists, some sporting strategically-placed body paint, toured the streets of London and other cities around the world Saturday to protest oil dependency and the car culture.
Saudi Aramco to Glitz Up 75th Anniversary
Preliminary plans include staging a number of high-profile, world-class events and programs here and around the world. Specific events throughout the Kingdom during the anniversary year to mark the historic signing of the original Concession Agreement between the Kingdom and Standard Oil of California on May 29, 1933, will be announced as the countdown approaches. Activities will involve employees, retirees, company partners, among others.
Saudi-Indonesia Panel to Discuss Cooperation
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have forged closer relations in different sectors. The two countries are working on a proposal to set up a joint refinery project in Indonesia, according to a recent report. Jakarta is preparing the project proposal for a new Saudi-Indonesian refinery, which will be submitted to Saudi Aramco soon.
EU and Turkey focus on energy cooperation
The European Union and Turkey are spotlighting their strategic energy cooperation in a bid to keep the lights on in Ankara's troubled bid for EU membership.They staged a conference last week to underline the candidate state's growing importance as an energy bridge between Europe, the Middle East and the Caspian basin.
Maldives - Drivers' Strike: How The Government Made New Enemies
Malé drivers went on strike for three days last week in protest at the rising cost of fuel. For three days they peacefully occupied a platform in a constant vigil.
Pakistan: Teargassing by police as riots continue
While a large part of the city was severely crippled by an acute electricity outage on Saturday, people in at least two major commercial areas staged violent protests against the power crisis.The protestors in main Saddar and Clifton areas, consisting mainly of traders and shopkeepers, vented their anger and resentment against prolonged power breakdowns during business hours, which was severely affecting their daily business.
Edwards touches on health care, Iraq in Exeter
Edwards said that people tend to think of issues facing the country, such as the war in Iraq, the energy crisis and health care, separately. But, he said, if people thought of them together and how each affects the other, they could find a solution.For example, the use of alternative forms of energy would lessen the country's reliance on foreign oil to survive.
"If we reduce demand, the prices are going to go down," he said, adding, "These things are like dominoes, each influences the next."
Myths of abundance divert attention from powerful economic interests that benefit from this biofuels transition, avoiding discussion of the growing price that citizens of the global South are beginning to pay to maintain the consumptive oil-based lifestyle of the North. Biofuel mania obscures the profound consequences of the industrial transformation of our food and fuel systems — the agro-fuels transition.
California's power play: Is renewable energy enough?
Stephen del Cardayre hopes to help solve the Earth's most challenging problem by studying some of its tiniest inhabitants.He and his colleagues at San Carlos clean-energy start-up LS9 are on the hunt for a microbe in plant bacteria that could become a renewable fuel for California's cars - the state's single largest source of the pollution that causes global warming.
But even del Cardayre, as passionate and committed as he is, working for a company fueled by millions of dollars in venture capital and at the epicenter of Silicon Valley's fast-growing clean-technology industry, offers a sober assessment of the state's ambitious goals to fight global warming.
"There is definitely not a silver bullet," del Cardayre said.
Producing green power, greenbacks
Methane gas generated by, among other things, rotten oranges from the garbage of homes in Southwestern Ohio, moldy grapes from Northern Kentucky and smelly scraps from last weekend's barbecues in Southeastern Indiana - will be recycled and readied for natural-gas pipelines at the largest recovery plant of its kind in the world.
Kuwait seeks probe into rise in oil production costs
A parliamentary committee has asked Kuwait's Audit Bureau to investigate why the cost of oil production has tripled over the past six fiscal years, the head of the committee said Saturday....Al Shall Economic Consultants said in a report published Saturday that the production cost has increased from $1.40 a barrel in 2001 to $4.42 a barrel in 2007, growing by 18 percent annually on average.
...Al Shall attributed the rise to one of three possible reasons: that Kuwaiti oilfields have become too old thus making it difficult to control production costs; that additional unnecessary expenses are included in cost, or that the cost is being deliberately altered.
China May Halt Coal-to-Oil Projects
China is considering halting efforts to make oil from coal due to concerns about the expense and energy demands, a state news agency on Sunday quoted an official as saying.
Cyber warming: PCs produce same CO2 emissions as airlines
It takes around 1.8 tons of chemicals, fossil fuels and water to produce a PC, and its operation generates 0.1 tons of CO2 in a typical year. They last, on average for three years and, once junked, most are buried in landfill. The soil where they are buried can become polluted with cadmium and mercury.
Oil race at top of the world - As Russia pursues claim to huge Arctic reserves, U.S. is sidelined
If geologists at the Russian Research Institute for Ocean Geology and Mineral Resources are right, the Kremlin could add as many as 10 billion tons of Arctic oil and natural gas to reserves that already make Russia one of the world's most formidable energy powerhouses.The Arctic's potential storehouse of oil and gas likely won't be tapped for decades. But Moscow is looking ahead to a time when depleted oil and natural gas fields will force energy suppliers to scour for new hydrocarbon sources, even if they're under the polar ice cap.
"Experts say that after 2016, oil production will drop tremendously," said Anatoly Opekunov, the institute's deputy director. "Every country, including Russia and the U.S., is thinking about this."
Russia's oil, gas resources sufficient to meet growing global demand - Total head
Russia's resources of hydrocarbons are large enough to meet the world's growing demand for oil and gas in 2007 to 2020, Christophe de Margerie, Total SA's head, said at the 11th International Economic Forum in St.Petersburg.
Oil shale — Colorado, Utah deposits rival OPEC reserve
"The breakthrough is that now the oil companies have a way of getting this oil out of the ground without the massive energy and manpower costs that killed these projects in the 1970s," said Pete Stark, an analyst at IHS Inc., an Englewood, Colo., research firm. "All the shale rocks in the world are going to be revisited now to see how much oil they contain."
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (review)
Remember that scene in "Serenity" when Mal asks Wash to clarify how their ship's landing might get "interesting" and Wash replied, "Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die?" That's kind of the feeling one gets after watching "A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash," Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack's documentary on our dependence on oil and the possible ramifications for when the we enter the post-"peak oil" period, which may be right around the corner.
Oil markets are growing increasingly complex, affected by an array of factors — from changing benchmarks to the introduction of alternative fuels — that may redefine them in coming years.For those of us who drive, the changes are likely to mean higher gasoline prices over the long term.
"It's not been a good thing for consumers," said Ray Carbone, president of Paramount Options.
Oil prices may hit $80 a barrel
Oil prices could surge to $80 a barrel this year because of tropical storms, rising demand for gasoline and disruptions in crude supplies from Nigeria, a senior Iranian oil official said on Sunday.
Going underground for a greenhouse gas solution
Known as the Frio Brine Project, the site is on the leading edge of Department of Energy-funded studies looking into carbon sequestration, the process of injecting CO2 — a byproduct of burning fossil fuels — deep into the ground.
Southeast Asia battles dengue surge, climate fears
Southeast Asian nations are battling a surge in dengue cases, amid signs that climate change could make 2007 the worst year on record for a disease that often gets less attention than some higher-profile health risks.
Senators to begin work on energy measure
With consumers continuing to grumble about high gasoline prices, the Senate plans to take up an energy conservation package next week that would force automakers to churn out more fuel-efficient cars and require motorists to use more renewable fuels.
Swan Song for the Democrats for Supporting the Iraq War
A progressive platform should also include a plan to nationalize the oil industry. The record profits from oil production should be going into infrastructure, education and alternate fuels – -not fattening the foreign banks accounts of obscenely rich oil moguls. In an age of resource scarcity, we cannot allow the market to decide who will get access to the energy that everyone needs to maintain minimal standards of living.We've already seen how big oil is willing to use our children as cannon fodder in their wars of aggression. We've also seen how much effort they put into confusing the public on crucial issues such as global warming. (They've pumped millions of dollars into bogus science and misleading public relations campaigns to keep the people from understanding the truth about "man-made" climate change) The oil industry operates without a conscience putting its bottom line above the very survival of the species. The best thing to do is "return the favor" by seizing the industry – Hugo Chavez style – and putting it to work for the people it is supposed to serve. If the oil executives still want to continue the fight for Iraqi oil; we should provide them with sidearms and Kevlar vests and turn them lose in Baghdad. Let them fend for themselves – everyone else comes home.
Request for Info on Ethanol Incentives and Biomass Sources
I need to gather some information. I know that some of you will be quite knowledgeable about certain aspects of what I am looking for. I was in London this weekend (found myself standing next to Jesse Jackson at one point) having a look at a promising cellulosic ethanol technology. I will not go into details, because they don’t want to release details yet, but they have asked for my assistance in developing a business plan and helping work through technical hurdles. It is not the first time I have been asked to do something like this. It probably isn’t even the 100th. But there have only ever been 2 or 3 that I saw and thought “This could be something.” And this could in fact be something. It is an entirely unique approach to the cellulosic ethanol problem – and I have no doubt that this technology will handily beat the economics and energy returns of the current cellulosic plants being built.
Here is what I am looking for. While this technology already looks like it could compete right now on equal footing with corn, corn ethanol has been heavily subsidized. My counsel is that it would be very wise – looking mid to long term – to first determine who – states, federal governments, and/or foreign countries – are offering incentives for locating a cellulosic ethanol plant. It doesn’t have to be limited to incentives for cellulosic ethanol, but again it has to compete with the established corn guys. There are certain areas of the country – such as the coasts, where I think this can beat the corn guys right now. But you look first to the incentives that are being offered and take advantage of those (not to say I have changed my mind about these subsidies; I still think this system is incredibly inefficient and attempts to pick technology winners).
The second think I need to know is where there are massive quantities of biomass coming into a point source. The New York City dumps have always seemed like good candidates. But I don’t know if there are far better sources (quantity, uniformity) of biomass. For all I know New York recycles all of their paper and there isn’t much biomass to be processed at their dump. (I doubt it, though). An additional benefit would be to find waste biomass that currently requires tipping fees for disposal.
So, to summarize I am looking for 1). Who is offering attractive incentives for cellulosic ethanol?; and 2). Where are very high volume sources of biomass coming into point sources? Again, I ask that you don’t request specific details, here or through e-mails. If you want to speculate, that’s fine. I think this has enough potential that tomorrow I am going to lobby my company to allow me to assist. If we can come to an agreement that this specific application does not present a conflict of interest or an ethical issue, I will be working with these guys. If not, then maybe a wink and a nod can put them on the right path.
What This Is Not
One thing I want to address is that this is absolutely not a silver bullet. What it is, I believe, is something that could be a significant silver BB. I think this technology could be used to realistically displace a fair fraction of our gasoline usage. But we are still talking about less than 50% in all probability. Even if this works out to the most optimistic forecasts, we are still going to have to conserve in a major fashion.
Personal Note:
In 10 days, I will be reunited with my family for the first time in 5 months. At that time, I will be taking an extended break from writing. I have some time that I must make up, so instead of coming home from work and writing, I am going to make a point not to write, and use that time to experience Scotland with my family. It is an understatement to say that the past 5 months have been the most difficult of my life. If you have children, you can imagine what it would be like to spend 5 months apart. My heart goes out to those in the military who are routinely separated from their children. I have filled the void in my life by writing, and I have been on a rampage for the past 5 months. But the void is about to be filled by family, and I doubt I will ever again participate in the same way that I once did.
Good that you have your family back and good that you plan to take off and spend time with them. You will never regret spending time with your family.
You say that this technology could displace less than 50%. Well, 49% would be a definite signal we don't have to conserve. I think the United States, at least, is very much subject to Say's law, supply creates its own demand. Provide the fuel and they will come, with their SUVs, their Hummers, their Tundras, their ORVs, their snowmobiles. If what you say is true, this will have a major impact on prices, which will have, unfortunately, a major impact on demand.
You also have not said what the carbon impact of this technology would be and guess you can't or won't. As a certified member of the anti global warming crowd, any bullet or bb, regardless of its abundance, is a loser if it does not address the ghg issue.
Regardless of whether or not this cuts into oil, if it just lets us continue happy motoring into the indefinite future, I think one needs to be skeptical that this is another faustian bargain.
But then, we have no details, so I guess we just have to wait until all is revealed.
You seem to be mainly talking about biomass that would otherwise be land filled. If that is the main source, that sounds better than harvesting our grass, prairie land, conservation areas, and forests.
What you say seems to support the view of GM CEO wagoner who says that biofuels are the great hope for the future of the autombile industry, cutting oil consumption, and dealing with global warming. This will encourage those who have no intention of doing anything serious about consumption.
One thing is for damn sure, anyway, this probably beats the crap out of CTL, something that's getting a lot of support in congress right now, including the notable Obama.
You also have not said what the carbon impact of this technology would be and guess you can't or won't.
You know me. If this didn't appear to address all of my major concerns, I would not have glanced in their direction. I had exchanged dozens of e-mails with them and seen a lot of details before I agreed to go and check it out.
It is basically just cellulosic ethanol, but with a very unique twist. The EROEI is going to beat corn ethanol - which probably beats current state of the art cellulosic technology by a long shot. And it isn't going to mean cheap fuel, or abundant fuel. It will just mean "another source of fuel." And we need some fuel, especially renewable fuel.
But even though it does appear to me to be something special, the way my brain works is that I am constantly turning it over and over and thinking "What have I missed." But that's the reason they said they came to me. In fact, they said that when they were working on a business plan, they kept hitting on some of the ethanol essays I have written. That's when they decided to see if it could pass my skeptical sniff test.
If you ever get in the position, keep this idea close to yourself and develop an impeccable line of reasoning, use Hemp. It produces tons of fibre and is easily grown with low input in terms of farming and fertilizer. (it is a weed afterall)
I question the unique twist. What is it? Watch out for hidden extra energy inputs not documented. It's good they are reaching out.
Can you keep us updated?
I question the unique twist. What is it? Watch out for hidden extra energy inputs not documented. It's good they are reaching out.
I would love to tell everyone about it. Hopefully I can before too long. I can honestly say that I had never heard anyone propose this before. I said "That's freaking brilliant." Don't worry about hidden inputs. You have no idea how paranoid I am that I will miss something, and skeptical of ever claim.
Oh, and hemp was definitely discussed (but not smoked). Hemp has a further advantage in that it produces oil.
I think my request will be a standalone thread later in the day. That way I can easily keep up with suggestions.
RR
Is the process capable of using a variety of cellulosic material? Other than forests, and I really hate to see us go there, I really think if there is a promising cellulosic process (and I also hope it doesn't involve bacterial gene splicing), that it needs to be on a smaller local scale which would use a variety of materials, specific to the region, or most usefully, city. This would help lessen the logistical transport problems both of the raw material and of the product. Currently, every city collects tons of leaf waste, grass clippings, brush and branches, much cellulosic waste goes down garbage disposals, and enormous amounts of lumber and other left over building materials go into land fills, etc. Storm damage unique to a region can produce tons of cellulosic waste, as well. Since Bloomberg's on a roll, start with a plant near a NYC landfill. Perhaps regional farms could add appropriate waste products, as well. I am curious whether this process would require dry storage of the material. If not, that could be a big hurdle out of the way. Anyway, thanks for giving of your time to yet another project inquiry and good luck.
NYC landfill was a theme I kept coming back to. Right now these landfills a leaking loads of methane into the atmosphere - and we know that it is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. It seems like a win all the way around to me.
No gene-splicing to my knowledge. But one of my vulnerabilities here is that there is a part of the process I have not seen. This is a black box to me, and I have told them that it is important that I take that box apart. This is the only thing that keeps me from saying "This is truly revolutionary." There could be a perpetual motion machine hiding in there, but I think I can sniff out a fake pretty well. These guys did know their stuff.
and we know that it is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2
Recall methane is a feedback enhancement, not a primary, mechanism. The reason is the timescale... methane content is more or less a function of other parameters due to its short equilibration time. The reason CO2 is so significant is its longer time scale. See the intro articles on
RealClimate for more detail.
"Methane is transient in the atmosphere, so if the anthropogenic source stays constant, the methane concentration stays constant. This is different from CO2, which accumulates. Methane is well-mixed in the troposphere. Gets oxidized by OH in the troposphere and zapped by UV light in the stratosphere. Gases don't sink out very much in the atmosphere because it circulates so quickly. You can measure gravitational settling of gases in stagnant columns of air like in firn above ice cores, but in the atmosphere, gases don't really settle out. The atmospheric measurements are straightforward, replicated, reliable."
--David Archer on RealClimate
ciao,
Bruce
Natural methane may be a feedback mechanism, but rice paddies, landfills and pipeline leaks are not. If we can reduce atmospheric methane by turning landfill gas into electricity and feeding our livestock differently, that's changing a human greenhouse contribution.
Methane is transient in the atmosphere, so if the anthropogenic source stays constant, the methane concentration stays constant.
On the other hand, if the anthropogenic source were to lessen, then the concentration would lessen, wouldn't it?
That's very true... unlike with CO2 there is no significant delay hence methane doesn't accumulate in the way CO2 does. I don't remember the residence time for CO2 in the atmosphere, but ...(google)... it's about a century for CO2 and about a decade for CH4. The latter figure is long enough for CH4 to be well mixed and short enough that even with increased input the effective sinks keep the concentration in equilibrium. The response (eq conc as a fn of forcing) is nonlinear, but in this case the nonlinearity is stabilising (i.e., you don't get explosive growth without a catastrophic event).
Those interested should google on these things a bit, there is lots of interesting stuff on the net. It is easy to stick to scientific (or just multiple) sources.
ciao,
Bruce
I'm not sure forests cannot generate point source biomass. A new craze in Australia is 'fuel reduction burning' http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,20934343,00.html to reduce the intensity of wildfires. Rather than torch the undergrowth perhaps it could be mechanically harvested and rendered by pyrolysis. This could help the parks service in different ways
1) the forest gets its historical thinning
2) they won't get sued for medical bills by asthmatics
3) the fire can't escape and burn houses
The Eucalypt forest on the eastern coast of Australia is adapted for (by 60,00 years of fire-stick farming by the Aboriginal inhabitants) and now requires regular burn offs. This removes the dry bark and undergrowth, which has built up over a five or so year period and removes a lot of the insect parasites. The burns offs are done on calm winter days and cause some temporary smoke haze and very little inconvenience and zero damage to the trees of ecology.
When idiots insist on it not being done, due to ignorance and NIMBYism, the biomass builds up you get massive dangerous fires that kills people and the trees.
It would be almost impossible economically or physically to harvest this biomass and the turn it in to ethanol – it is far too dispersed in the trees and shrubs.
It looks like L.A. would be the winner....
I think this issue may be settled, unless anyone can come up with a better option than Los Angeles.....
http://www.citymayors.com/environment/la_green.html
Quotes:
Los Angeles produces 8,000 tons of garbage every day. With limited landfill space, LA was an early pioneer of curbside recycling. Currently, 62 per cent of waste is diverted from landfills and the goal is to increase that percentage to 70 per cent by 2015 through increased recycling programs and proposals to divert green waste to ethanol production facilities.
www.lacity.org/mayor/indexright/ mayorindexright243045238_05152007.pdf
Quotes:
“Shift from Waste Disposal to Resource Recovery. Recycle 70% of trash by 2015
Catalyze the Growth of the Green Economic Sector
Promote local research, development and production of green technology
Strengthen global economic relationships to secure investment in Los
Angeles’ green sector and help environmentally-focused companies
penetrate local and foreign markets
Identify locations for green businesses and offer effective incentives for the
growth of these businesses
Train residents of low and middle income communities, local university
students and participants in adult education programs for jobs in the green
economy.
http://www.crra.com/crranews/articles/pdf/adc.pdf
There is a bit of an “Alternative Dialy Cover” controversy going on in LA, as Waste Management and some other waste disposers have been allowed to put a certain amount of “green waste” they collect on landfills as “ground cover” and get credit for it as though it were not being disposed of at landfills. Apparently, this system has been abused as they have used it as a method of waste dumping for green waste that they cold not otherwise easily dispose of. What this means in practical terms is that LA actually has more “green waste” for other use than the stats have been making it look like.
Given the market size of L.A. for llquid fuel, it's long history of support for "green" industries, top notch education system, and closeness to massive venture capital and investment possibilities, I can't imagine a better place.
And I am from Kentucky, so if anything I would be biased against L.A.
But fair is fair, they win the first consideration, hands down.
Roger Conner Jr.
Remember, we are only one cubic mile from freedom
Does sewage count?
I don't think the cellulose content will be high enough.
If it has to be cellulose...Japan is using rice husks.
There are quite a few high cellulose wastes from food production.
Husks of grains, seeds and nuts or pulp from some juice/oil pressing (apple has fairly high cellulose, as does seed pulp) might be worth checking out.
not very sustainable, your taking a substance that was traditionally put in the compost heap so it can be returned to the land so you can continue to grow things. if you don't your not going to be growing very much past the second year without massive fossil fuel inputs from fertilizer.
I have already sent you information on a low cost energy source to distill low proof ethanol. Do you need more information ?
They may also have limited quantities of tree thinning biomass.
Best Hopes,
Alan
Alan,
Abundant, renewable biomass is the key. The distillation at this time is of secondary concern. I would love to find a location that a lot of biomass is flowing into for disposal.
Perhaps they have something here for ya
http://www.bioenergywiki.net/index.php/Main_Page
(via the gassifyer mailing list gasification@listserv.repp.org)
What about sugar cane bagasse ? Close to water transportion as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagasse
Some Louisiana industrial incentives and a domestic (in state) ethanol incentives passed a couple of years ago from memory.
Alan
Bagasse was discussed at length. In fact, probably more than any other source. I would like to know what the true bagasse waste picture is in Louisiana.
I will check next week.
Alan
BTW, downriver barges use a bit over 200 BTUs per ton-mile. Add a quarter to that # since they do not go in a straight line (only a/c can) but a 25% penalty over rail & truck.
Upriver "varies" but double that # for first estimates.
Being close to good rail connections and water transportation will be key post-Peak Oil.
Alan
How about the leftovers from papermills or wood-product or paper-product manufacturers?
Maybe a specialized "industrial park" that only allows facilities that will be producing cellulose wastes and has conveyors or train cars or something that haul it away for free to the central ethanol processing plant?
In other words, don't go to them - bring them to you.
Greg in MO
There are no leftovers from papermills. Everything is either made into paper or burned for steam and power generation.
Some of my favorite memories are from our trip in 1990 to Scotland and Yorkshire, especially exploring the tidal ponds at Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire.
A song that rings true to this father of a 25 year old graduate student--who only "yesterday" promised me that she would always stay three years old:
You might contact the major timber companies in the US and Canada to find locations where there are active sawmills that do not have access to a pulp chip market and do not already have a biomass cogeneration plant. The lodgepole pine region in the interior northwest might have a lot of opportunities with all of the bark beetle outbreaks in low value timber.
x
The timber companies are definitely an option, but I didn't know if they have a large enough volume of truly waste material. That would provide the best EROEI. If we have to start cutting down and chipping standing trees, I think the advantage could be lost. Not certain, but looks that way to me.
Right now the timber companies in Texas leave the limbs and needles/leaves to rot on the ground, same way with people bulldozing mesquete. If an economic incentive is high enough, I'm sure the companies would bring it in. but it would be a lot more labor and some capital expense for wood chippers and trucks.