Biomass Issues
John Christopher Madole Associates, Inc.
presentation to the Minnesota Department of Commerce
September 12, 2007
Biomass Issues
Feedstocks-- Harvesting, Transporation &
Storage
Process Technology
Markets/Utilization
Institutional Considerations
System Economics
Minnesota Feedstocks
Wood
Woody Shrubs
Crop Residue (Corn Stover)
Prairie Grasses
Reeds
Algae
Manures/Biosolids
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Source Separated Organics (SSO)
Earth Rise Algae Farm
Phragmites
Source Separated
Organics
Feedstock Issues
Mainline vs Shortline Prices & Practices
Lack of Shortline Access to Minneapolis from south and north
Long term contracts
Feedstock storage
Process Technologies
Anaerobic Digestion
Gasification
Pyrolysis
Combustion
Biohydrogen
Role of Digesters & Gasifiers in Industry
Thermal Energy for Biodiesel and Ethanol Plants
Fischer Tropsch for Chemicals, Fertilizer, Jet Fuel, Diesel, Gasoline, Waxes
Capital Cost and Technology Access Issues
80% Biomass Gasifiers for Fischer Tropsch
Nazi, Apartheid, coal to biomass Transition
Fischer Tropsch Chemical Plant in
Austria
Gasification
1,500-2,000 degrees F
Produces Synthetic Gas (Syn-gas) made of hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide
Burns more cleanly than natural gas
Heavy metals are problem– coal gasification is a problem
Advanced research to reform syngas into pipeline quality gas, ammonia, butanol
Significant Economic Factors with Gasification
Gasification not scaleable
Biomass Gasification is prime competitor of natural gas and transportation fuels
Electrical generation is only economic with significant thermal (steam) market
$.05 per kWh is break even cost of production
Gasifiers can produce power on signal from wind machine
Ag Residue
Gasifier Unit in Manitoba
MSW Gasifier in Romoland,CA
Anaerobic Digestion Technologies
Mesophillic (Covered lagoons, waste water treatment, manures)
Thermophillic 30-50% more
BTU’s, odor control
Barcelona, Spain – 300,000 tpy – Screened Organic Portion of MSW
Linden Hills Neighborhood, Minneapolis Mini-Digester
10 tons per day yard waste and source separated organics
Digester Cost around $150,000 ?
Combined Heat & Power System
for Linden Hills Business District
Linkoping, Sweden 100,000 tpy food
processing waste AD Facility
End Market/Utilization
Thermal (Steam & Hot Water)
Compressed Gas for Transporation
Pipeline Quality Gas
Electricity
By-products
Twin City Natural Gas Large Thermal Markets
$2 billion/year in natural gas sales to large scale thermal markets in Metro Area of 3 million population (Year 2000)
Gasifiers & AD capable of displacing natural gas at 15% to 20% less in annual costs
Biomass Procurement will become most
important factor– MSW, SSO, yardwaste, crop residues, urban tree waste, demolition wood
Linkoping, Sweden City Buses
Fueled with CNG from Biogas
Uppsala, Sweden Passenger Car
Fueled with CNG from Biogas
Why Biomethane for CNG Vehicles
Biomethane can be produced for less than Natural Gas
Minneapolis CNG filling station sells for equivalent of $1.70 per gallon
CNG or Compressed Biomethane worth more than Pipeline Quality Gas
95% cleaner tail pipe emmissions (India)
CNG Vehicles
Agentina 1,300,000
Brazil 550,000
Italy 380,000
Pakistan 280,000
India 137,000
CNG in the USA
1,200 Filling Stations in the USA
Dozens of filling stations in Midwest
10 filling stations in Wisconsin
1 filling station in Minnesota
California 50% of market
US Postal Service 7,400 vehicles
California over 1,000 garbage trucks
Marketable Products
•Soil Amendments
•Energy
•Protein Feeds
District Energy CHP Efficiency
Biomass to Electricity 35%,
Combined Heat & Power +90%
District Heating more efficient than separate boilers
Hot water systems more efficient than steam
New Suburban Development & Light Rail Corridors
District Heating in Minnesota
Hibbing
St. Paul
Willmar
New Ulm
New Programs & Incentives
Next Steps
Skally Line, Owatonna to Faribault Line
Demonstrations to get European Technologies into Minnesota to innovate
Training and Standards to prevent odors from Digester
Help with long term biomass contracts
Create end markets
Examine German, Swedish, Argentine, Indian Public Policy
Invest in Bi-product Development
Feedstock Demonstrations
