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LUNCHEON
WORKSHOP AGENDA:
Cutting-Edge Biomass Technologies
For Mitigating Acute Climate Change
July 6, 2004, Hall of States Building, Room 383,
400 North Capitol Street, Washington DC
Hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, the
American Council on Renewable Energy, the New Uses Council, and the
Biomass Coordinating Council
There are increasing world-wide efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to slow global warming
trends and mitigate acute climate change. Of particular interest are
agricultural developments and biorefinery technologies being
combined with more efficient use of energy that can profitably
reduce and potentially eliminate those threats.
A recent comment from the Lord Oxburgh,
Chairman of Shell, revealed his concern of the disturbing global warming
trend in the June 17th issue of The Guardian. He was quoted
as saying, "Sequestration is difficult, but if we don't have
sequestration then I see very little hope for the world. No one
can be comfortable at the prospect of continuing to pump out the amounts
of carbon dioxide that we are pumping out at present... with
consequences that we really can't predict but are probably not
good."
11:30 am – Dr.
Peter Read, Senior Research Officer, Massey University,
New Zealand :
"Reduced greenhouse
gas levels through negative emissions energy systems based on
bioenergy and biorefinery technologies and carbon sequestration in
the soil and other storage sites."
Presentation
Noon – Luncheon
and video presentation of “Black
Earths of Amazonia
.”
This film explores an advanced Amazonian society
a thousand years ago that developed, it is thought, by using
charcoal mixed with human and animal wastes, an approach to build
top soil (terra preta)
capable of sequestering atmospheric CO2 and nitrogen. These highly
fertile soils permitted an otherwise impossible intensive
agricultural development and an advanced society. It now appears,
using ancient and new technologies, that terra
preta can be “manufactured,” restoring vitality to
depleted soils while sequestering huge amounts of CO2.
12:30 pm
-- Danny
Day, President, EPRIDA,
University
of Georgia
:
“The pyrolysis of biomass at temperatures low enough to produce
vitalized charcoal and syngases for conversion into biofuels.”
During this process, ammonia is passed through water and then
introduced as a gas into charcoal in order to produce a hydrated
ammonia char. This material is a bicarbonate introduced into the
stack gases of a fossil fuel power plant. This combination absorbs
CO2, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide resulting in a high quality
natural fertilizer capable of being combined with organic matter to
revitalize soils while sequestering atmospheric CO2 in a stable form
for hundreds of years.
Presentation
1:00 pm
-- Jeff Passmore, Executive
Vice President, Iogen Corporation, Canada :
Iogen has designed and now operates the world's
largest pre-commercial cellulose ethanol production facility.
Initially running on wheat straw, but capable of operating on other
agriculture residues such as corn stover and other cereal straws,
the facility is producing approximately 265,000 gallons of cellulose
ethanol annually and sells product into the commercial fuel market.
In addition to the obvious benefits of energy security and
agricultural renewal, cellulose ethanol has significant CO2
reduction capabilities, reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) by greater
than 90% compared to gasoline. Iogen's technology is ready to go
commercial and with the support of its partner, Shell, Iogen is
seeking to kick start the cellulose ethanol industry in the US by
commencing construction of a 50 - 60 million gallon plant by the end
of 2005.
Presentation
1:30
pm – Jacek Popiel,
Marketing Director, Sturman Industries, Colorado Springs,
Colorado
:
Presenting the transportation fuel strategy originally
developed by Volkswagen and Daimler-Chrysler to answer EU fuel
efficiency and GHG emissions requirements. The strategy is based on
advanced engine technology to reduce fuel consumption, and use of
optimized Fischer-Tropsch middle distillate fuel for fuel supply
diversification. A large and growing fraction of the FT fuel will be
produced from biomass feedstock so as to reduce GHG emissions.
Presentation
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