using bio waste to generate energy

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Industry Summary

 

Biomass energy is the term describing the conversion of organic material into usable energy, either by burning it directly or by harvesting combustible gases or liquids. In some cases it can be referred to as “waste-to-energy,” because a common application is the burning of a city’s garbage or an industrial plant’s production scrap, such as wood chips or sawdust. Agricultural residues, such as rice straw, nutshells or wheat straw, are also useful as biomass fuels. Waste-to-energy plants have been in use in the U.S. for decades, frequently operating in tandem with municipal garbage systems. Biomass plants supply perhaps 2.8% of the energy consumed in America today. A significant advantage of waste-to-energy is the fact that it reduces the amount of material placed in overburdened landfills. The production of ethanol or biodiesel is another way to utilize biomass to create fuel.
 
Quantities of waste, such as sewage, manure heaps at feedlots and the garbage filling landfills, create large amounts of methane gas as they decompose.  One form of biomass energy generation that utilizes this phenomenon has been affectionately named “cow power.” In this method of energy production, cow manure is placed in a holding tank, where it is heated to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows naturally occurring bacteria to break down the material, releasing methane, which is collected and burned in a generator. By this method, the manure from one cow can produce about 1,200 kilowatt-hours per year, meaning ten cows can power an average American house. Not only can cow power produce electricity, it can also be used to produce high quality (and noticeably less smelly) fertilizer. Though it has been around for decades, cow power has not seen serious interest until recently. It has grown much more efficient over the years, and cheaper to boot. Both California and Vermont have launched assistance programs to help farmers pay for the systems.
 
A leading waste disposal firm, Waste Management, Inc., has begun to capitalize on waste methane at a handful of the numerous landfills that it operates. For example, working with energy management firm Ameresco, it is providing waste methane energy to a BMW automobile plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, via a pipeline to a landfill ten miles away. One exciting development is the use of hydrogen converted from methane to power fuel cells. See “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Power” in this chapter.
 
Another biomass initiative of note is ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods, Inc.’s agreement to make diesel fuel from animal fat. Unlike typical biodiesel which is made from vegetable oils in a process similar to fermentation and used as an additive to regular diesel, renewable diesel uses animal fat in a process very much like that which refines crude oil into diesel (although the process costs more). It can be done in regular refineries, distributed through existing infrastructure and sold as regular diesel. Tyson’s annual production of beef, pork and chicken fat is about 300 million gallons; 58% of which will go towards renewable diesel once the program begins, pending EPA approval. The companies hope to have the system up and running by early 2009
 

 

 

Compaines in the sector

 

 

Ze-Gen is an energy company that converts municipal waste to a synthesized gas good for electricity generation.

 

The Boston, Mass. company sought the debt funding to finance the permitting and development fees for a new waste conversion facility.

We’ve recently written about other companies promising to turn waste into electricity, including EnerTech Environmental, which recently took $42 million for construction of a new plant.

 

The $2.5 million venture debt facility was provided by Pinnacle Ventures. Ze-Gen has taken over $8 million to date from Pinnacle and other firms including Flagship Ventures and VantagePoint Venture Partners.

 

 

 

 

Enertech Environmental is one of a new generation companies that promises to use waste matter and byproducts from municipalities to help create renewable fuel.

 

The company’s patented process, called SlurryCarb, uses biosolids (a nice way of referring to the congealed stuff in our sewers) to produce biofuel.

 

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Enertech’s only existing processing facility is a Rialto, Calif. facility that processes 683 tons of of waste matter per day. The facility was completed with $160 million from private equity and bond sales.

 

The $42 million funding was co-led by Citi Sustainable Development Investments and Masdar Clean Tech Fund. Nimes Capital and CNM also participated in the round.

 

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