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Circulating Fluidized Bed
www.CirculatingFluidizedBed.com

Post-combustion Air Pollution Control Technologies

Another way to reduces emissions is through "dry sorbent injection: or "DSI". 

Dry Sorbent Injection is a post-combustion technology wherein a reactive calcium or
sodium based sorbent is injected into the upper part of the furnace to react directly with the products of combustion that effectively and economically mitigates potential emissions problems in the flue gas including HCI, HF, SO2 and SO3.  

Dry Sorbent Injection advantages include lower equipment costs (first cost) as well as decreases in operations and maintenance costs - and have a lower life-cycle cost than other technologies. Commonly used sorbents include reactive calcium, sodium and powdered activated carbon.

Controlling pollutants such as SO2 can also be accomplished by converting the products of combustion into sulfuric acid, or SO3, by passing the flue gas over a catalyst bed.

Fluidized Bed Combustion allows for greater than 90 percent reduction of harmful emissions (such as SO2) and also reduces the amount of thermal NOx formed because plants are operating at a much lower temperature than conventional boilers. 

A "Circulating Fluidized Bed" plant eliminated most of the pollutants inside the furnace as the biomass or coal is burned. Crushed limestone, when added to the coal as it enters the combustor, captures 90 percent of sulfur pollutants. Fluidized Bed Combustion allows for a “slow burn” that reduces the formation of NOx. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle plants involve the gasification of coal or biomass, cleaning the gas, and combusting it in a gas turbine generator to produce electricity.



What is a Circulating Fluidized Bed Boiler?

A Circulating Fluidized Bed Boiler is a fully contained state-of-the-art technology for processing solid fuels where fuel is suspended in a mixture of superheated air and sand, collectively called the "fluid bed."   Reagents like limestone are added, and temperatures are controlled to directly capture the sulfur and reduce formation of Nitrogen Oxides. 

Circulating Fluidized Bed Boilers produce 90% fewer emissions compared to typical coal fired power plants.

Fluidized Bed Boilers, a Bed for Burning Coal?

It was a wet, chilly day in Washington DC in 1979 when a few scientists and engineers joined with government and college officials on the campus of Georgetown University to celebrate the completion of one of the world's most advanced coal combustors.

It was a small coal burner by today's standards, but large enough to provide heat and steam for much of the university campus. But the new boiler built beside the campus tennis courts was unlike most other boilers in the world.

A Fluidized Bed Boiler

In a fluidized bed boiler, upward blowing jets of air suspend burning coal, allowing it to mix with limestone that absorbs sulfur pollutants. 

It was called a "fluidized bed boiler." 

In a typical pulverized coal boiler, coal is crushed into very fine particles, blown into the boiler, and ignited to form a long, lazy flame.  In other types of boilers, the burning coal simply rests on grates. But in a "fluidized bed boiler," crushed coal particles "float" inside the boiler, suspended on upward-blowing jets of air. The red-hot mass of floating coal — called the "bed" — would bubble and tumble around like boiling lava inside a volcano. Scientists call this being "fluidized." That's how the name "fluidized bed boiler" came about.

Why does a "fluidized bed boiler" burn coal cleaner?

There are two major reasons fluidized bed boilers are cleaner, and superior to typical coal fired power plants. One, the tumbling action allows limestone to be mixed in with the coal. Remember - limestone is a "sulfur sponge" in that it absorbs sulfur pollutants. As coal burns in a fluidized bed boiler, it releases sulfur. But just as rapidly, the limestone tumbling around beside the coal captures the sulfur. A chemical reaction occurs, and the sulfur gases are changed into a dry powder that can be removed from the boiler. (This dry powder — called calcium sulfate — can be processed into the wallboard used for building walls inside our houses.)

The second reason a fluidized bed boiler burns cleaner is that it burns "cooler." Cooler in this sense as it is still fairly hot at about 1400 degrees F.   But older coal boilers operate at temperatures nearly twice that (almost 3000 degrees F).  Also, recall that nitrogen oxides form when a fuel burns hot enough to break apart the nitrogen molecules in the air and cause the nitrogen atoms to join with oxygen atoms.  But 1,400 degrees isn't hot enough for that to happen, so few nitrogen oxides forms in a fluidized bed boiler.

Coal Gasification

Don't think of coal as a solid black rock. Think of it as a mass of atoms. Most of the atoms are carbon. A few are hydrogen. And there are some others, like sulfur and nitrogen, mixed in. Chemists can take this mass of atoms, break it apart, and make new substances — like gas!

One of the most advanced - and cleanest - coal power plants in the world is Tampa Electric's Polk Power Station in Florida.  Rather than burning coal, it turns coal into a gas that can be cleaned of almost all pollutants.  This technology is called coal gasification.

How do you break apart the atoms of coal? You may think it would take a sledgehammer, but actually all it takes is water and heat. Heat coal hot enough inside a big metal vessel, blast it with steam (the water), and it breaks apart. Into what?

The carbon atoms join with oxygen that is in the air (or pure oxygen can be injected into the vessel). The hydrogen atoms join with each other. The result is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen — this is called "Synthesis Gas."

Now, what do you do with the Synthesis Gas?

You can burn Synthesis Gas - very cleanly - and use the hot combustion gases to spin a gas turbine to generate electricity. The exhaust gases coming out of the gas turbine are hot enough to boil water to make steam that can spin another type of turbine to generate even more electricity. But why go to all the trouble to turn the coal into gas if all you are going to do is burn it?

A major reason is that the impurities in coal — like sulfur, nitrogen and many other trace elements — can remove practically all of the pollutants when coal is changed into Synthesis Gas through Coal Gasification. In fact, scientists have ways to remove 99.9% of the sulfur and small dirt particles from the coal gas.  Coal Gasification is one of the best ways to clean pollutants out of coal.

Another reason is that the coal gases — carbon monoxide and hydrogen, or simply "Synthesis Gas" — don't have to be burned. They can also be used as valuable chemicals. Scientists have developed chemical reactions that turn carbon monoxide and hydrogen into everything from liquid fuels for cars and trucks to plastic toothbrushes! Today, in Tampa, Florida, and West Terre Haute, Indiana, there are power plants generating electricity through "coal gasification" instead of burning it. At a plant in Kingsport, Tennessee, coal gas is being used to make plastic for photographic film and to make methanol (a fuel that can be burned in automobile engines).

Coal Gasification could be one of the most promising ways to use coal in the future to generate electricity and other valuable products. Yet, it is only one of an entirely new family of energy processes called "Clean Coal Technologies" — technologies that can make fossil fuels future fuels.

Synthesis Gas
www.SynthesisGas.com

Clean, Renewable, Carbon-neutral fuel 
made in the U.S.A. - Unlimited Supply!
from our Biomass Gasification plants!

What is Synthesis Gas?

Synthesis gas, or syngas, are the names given to gas of different (yet closely similar) to composition that are generated in coal gasification, coal liquefaction, gas liquefaction - also known as natural gas to liquids plants and other types of waste-to-energy facilities. 

What is Natural Gas to Liquids?

Natural Gas to Liquids is also referred to as "Natural Gas Liquefaction," which is the process in which natural gas is converted from the gaseous to the liquid phase. At the end of the Natural Gas Liquefaction process, the product is referred to as "Liquefied Natural Gas" or "LNG."

More about Natural Gas To Liquids or "Gas Liquefaction"

A first-of-its-kind, natural gas-to-liquids or "gas liquefaction" facility was built in the U.S. that produces high-performance, sulfur-free fuel. The gas liquefaction plant produces approximately 70 bbls of ultra clean fuel per day from natural gas. 

	A natural gas to liquids, or "gas liquefaction" ultra clean fuels facility.

New technologies in the "natural gas to liquids" industry decreases expenses through increased efficiencies and converts natural gas to ultra clean fuel. These facilities typically consist of three primary components: an autothermal reformer that converts the natural gas into synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen; a Fischer-Tropsch unit that produces synthetic crude oil from the synthetic gas; and a refining unit that upgrades the synthetic crude to ultra clean fuels. These fuels, which can then be transported through existing pipelines, are now being tested in bus fleets operated by the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the National Park Service in Denali, Alaska.

Many more of these facilities are being planned. 

Secure and reliable energy supplies are the backbone to 
our country's freedom and economic viability

While the United States is home to an abundant supply of both natural gas and oil, there exists a supply and demand gap because much of the conventional resource base has been harvested. 

Future sources of supply will come from more remote locations, increasingly complex and deeper reservoirs, and more environmentally sensitive areas. New technologies will certainly be needed to develop these resources in an environmentally and economically acceptable manner. With advanced technologies, our Nation can continue producing these valuable domestic resources while also meeting environmental protection goals.

Clean Power Generation

The clean-burning properties of natural gas make it a preferred fuel for power generation. Indeed, natural gas consumption in the power generation sector is projected to increase from 5.0 trillion cubic feet in 2003 to 9.4 trillion cubic feet in 2025. Cost-effective production, processing, transmission, and storage technologies will enable natural gas to fulfill this central role in meeting our Nation’s growing electricity needs.

However, with the recent problems relating to the price of natural gas as well as the potential harm all fossil fuels may be causing to the climate and the planet, now is the time to begin placing greater emphasis on the production of energy from fuels that do not cause such economic and environmental liability.

Now is the time for Clean Power Generation from fuels such as:

      Biomethane       B100 Biodiesel       Dimethyl Ether       Synthesis Gas

Best of all, all of these renewable fuels and produced in the USA - most produced from waste streams from  wastewater treatment plants, landfills/municipal solid waste, and agricultural waste streams such as corn stover, rice hulls and the manure from dairy farms, chicken farms and hog farms.

Biomass Gasification

Turnkey Biomass Gasification Plants,
Biomass Gasification Engineering and Feasibility Studies

We provide turnkey Biomass Gasification plants as well as Engineering and Feasibility Studies for clients considering Biomass Gasification under a strict  "vendor neutral" basis.  

Our Biomass Gasification Feasibility Studies form the basic foundation in our client's decision-making process and the critical answers they seek regarding Biomass Gasification - do we move forward with our plans to build a Biomass Gasification plant?  Where should it be built? What are the optimum biomass feedstocks for this location?  What size plant should we build?  Who should build it?  Which Biomass Gasification plant do we choose? Can we sell our excess power to the grid?  

Our Biomass Gasification Feasibility Study will answer these important questions and more.  In the event you decide to move forward with our Biomass Gasification Engineering and Feasibility Study.  We require a 50% deposit to begin work.

Biomass Gasification Plants Now Available

We now offer turnkey Biomass Gasification plant development services, including feasibility studies or a vendor neutral basis.  Biomass Gasification plants generate "carbon free energy" and "pollution free power" and can operate on virtually every biomass feedstock. Biomass Gasification plants provide our clients with maximum returns, which means the highest revenues with the lowest operating costs, from practically any biomass feedstock.  Our knowledge and expertise will help you maximize Biomass Gasification revenues at your facility.

Our Biomass Gasification engineering and project development solutions:

• "Turnkey" Biomass Gasification plants and project development services

• Project Engineering Feasibility & Economic Analysis Studies Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Permitting, Utility Interconnects, Power Purchase Agreements, Operations/Maintenance and Training

• Environmental Engineering & Permitting 

• Project Funding & Financing Options; including Equity Investment, Debt Financing, Lease and Municipal Lease

• Long-term Service Agreements

• Operations & Maintenance

• Green Tag Consulting Services (Renewable Energy Credit, Carbon Dioxide Credits, Emission Reduction Credits) available through our strategic partner provider, including Brokerage Services, Application and Permitting

• We will only select the best products and technologies for your operation as we seek the optimum environmental and economic solutions for our clients.

What is Biomass Gasification?

Biomass Gasification is the process in which Synthesis Gas is produced in the Biomass Gasification process. 

The Synthesis Gas is then used like any other fuel, such as natural gas, which is not a renewable fuel.

Biomass Gasification Basics

Biomass fuels such as firewood and agriculture-generated residues and wastes are generally organic. They contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen along with some moisture. Under controlled conditions, characterized by low oxygen supply and high temperatures, most biomass materials can be converted into a gaseous fuel known as producer gas, which consists of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen. This thermo-chemical conversion of solid biomass into gaseous fuel is called biomass gasification. The producer gas so produced has low a calorific value (1000-1200 Kcal/Nm3), but can be burnt with a high efficiency and a good degree of control without emitting smoke. Each kilogram of air-dry biomass (10% moisture content) yields about 2.5 Nm3 of producer gas. In energy terms, the conversion efficiency of the biomass gasification process is in the range of 60%-70%.

Multiple Advantages of Biomass Gasification

Conversion of solid biomass into combustible gas has all the advantages associated with using gaseous and liquid fuels such as clean combustion, compact burning equipment, high thermal efficiency and a good degree of control. In locations, where biomass is already available at reasonable low prices (e.g. rice mills) or in industries using fuel wood, Biomass Gasifiers offer definite economic advantages. Biomass gasification technology is also environment-friendly, because of the firewood savings and reduction in CO2 emissions.

Biomass gasification technology has the potential to replace diesel and other petroleum products in several applications, foreign exchange.

Applications for Biomass Gasification

Thermal applications: cooking, water boiling, steam generation, drying etc.  Motive power applications: Using producer gas as a fuel in IC engines for applications such as water pumping Electricity generation: Using producer gas in dual-fuel mode in diesel engines/as the only fuel in spark ignition engines/in gas turbines.


What are Biomass Gasifiers?

Biomass Gasifiers are reactors that heat biomass in a low-oxygen environment to produce a fuel gas that contains from one fifth to one half (depending on the process conditions) the heat content of natural gas. The gas produced from a Biomass gasifiers can drive highly efficient devices such as turbines and fuel cells to generate electricity.

What is Synthesis Gas?

Synthesis Gas is produced through Biomass Gasification.  The Synthesis Gas is comprised of varying amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

What is Biomethane?

Biomethane is "renewable natural gas" which is produced in our Anaerobic Digesters.  Biomethane is also generated by the decomposition of organic materials buried in landfills.  We provide "Landfill Gas To Energy" technologies that utilize "methane recovery" systems to recover the Biomethane.   The process of Biomethane production begins with organic materials and organic waste streams.  Biogas is first produced from the decomposition of these organic materials but because biogas is dirty, and would destroy engines and gas turbines, the biogas first needs to be purified and cleaned - this "biogas to biomethane" process removes the impurities in the biogas, such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

"Cleaned-up" and ready for use in an onsite cogeneration or trigeneration power plant, the Biomethane could also be sold to a pipeline company and completely replace the "natural gas" that is typically transported to markets via the vast underground pipeline system.

Biomethane will some day replace the "methane" or most of the methane that is sold by the local gas companies - the methane they presently provide is all generated from "fossil fuels."

Biomethane has an unlimited supply, whereas the methane sold by gas companies has a limited supply.  Biomethane is renewable, whereas the methane sold by your gas utility company is not renewable. Biomethane recovery, use and production generates "Greentags" or a "Renewable Energy Credit" for the owners and is GOOD for our environment.  The production and use of the natural gas sold by the gas company does NOT generate these incentives and new revenue streams and is NOT good for our environment.

As previously mentioned, Biomethane is "naturally" produced from organic materials as they decay.  Sources of Biomethane include; landfills, POTW's/Wastewaster Treatment Systems, and every tree or agricultural product that is no longer living.  Biomethane also generated from animal operations where manure can be collected and the Biomethane is generated from anaerobic digesters where the manure decomposes. 

Biomethane, after installation of the Biomethane equipment is essentially free, as opposed to buying natural gas, presently costing around $10.00/mmbtu. 

Methanogenesis, also called Biomethanation, is the production of CH4 and CO2 by biological processes that are carried out by methanogens.

Sewage Sludge
www.SewageSludge.com

We Turn Your City or County's Sewage Sludge Problems  
into Profits and Green Energy!

Renewable Energy Ventures provides solutions for your Sewage Sludge problems and other organic waste streams with one or more of the following: Anaerobic Digester, Anaerobic Lagoon, Biogas Recovery, BioMethane, Biomass Gasification, Biosolids to Energy, Landfill Gas To Energy and Sewage Sludge "problems into profits"  project development services.

Renewable Energy Ventures provides the following power and energy project development services:

• Project Engineering Feasibility & Economic Analysis Studies  

• Engineering, Procurement and Construction

• Environmental Engineering & Permitting 

• Project Funding & Financing Options; including Equity Investment, Debt Financing, Lease and Municipal Lease

• Shared/Guaranteed Savings Program with No Capital Investment from Qualified Clients 

• Project Commissioning 

• 3rd Party Ownership and Project Development

• Long-term Service Agreements

• Operations & Maintenance 

• Green Tag (Renewable Energy Credit, Carbon Dioxide Credits, Emission Reduction Credits) Brokerage Services; Application and Permitting

According to the United Nations: "It is estimated that Greenhouse Gas Emissions  trading markets could be worth $2 Trillion by 2012."

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=433&ArticleID=4792&l=en

Biomethane -
the Perfect Renewable Fuel,
and Best of all Renewable Fuels?

As Biomethane is a near perfect fuel, and since Biomethane represents the best of all biofuels in terms of Recycling Carbon, and has the highest Net Energy Balance, and as Biomethane technologies such as Anaerobic Digesters and Biomass Gasification development increases and becomes even more commonplace, one of the fundamental questions is: what is the size of the potential biomass resource supply in the U.S.?

In April 2005, the DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) co-published a report assessing the potential of the land resources in the U.S. for producing sustainable biomass: Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply. Looking at forestland and agricultural land, the two largest potential biomass sources, this study estimates that the U.S. can sustainably produce up to 1.3 billion tons of biomass feedstock by mid-century. This would be enough feedstock to produce 60 billion gallons of B100 Biodiesel and E100 Ethanol with today's technologies.

This study doesn't address the opportunities for Biomethane production from biomass feedstock or Biomass Gasification technologies. Some recent estimates indicate that Biomethane could replace up to 50% of present natural gas consumption in the U.S. and in some countries, such as Iceland, Biomethane already provides 100% of the natural gas requirements.

There are many assumptions in the Billion Ton Study report that impact these estimates, but we believe the estimates reasonably reflect the potential availability and impact of biomass resources.

Of the total estimated resource, the study suggests that forestlands in the contiguous United States can produce approximately 368 million dry tons annually. This projection includes 52 million dry tons of fuelwood harvested from forests and woodlands, 145 million dry tons of residues from wood processing mills and pulp and paper mills, 47 million dry tons of urban wood residues including construction and demolition debris, 64 million dry tons of residues from logging and site clearing operations, and 60 million dry tons of biomass from fuel treatment operations.

Biomass to Biofuels

By "converting" biomass wastes – such as municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, crop residues, energy crops, and manure – into biofuels, this will resolve the energy, environmental and political problems in an economical and environmentally sound manner - that will produce over one million new jobs.

According to Jeff Seisler, Director of the European Natural Gas Vehicle Association, "Biomethane has an outstanding potential as a multifaceted solution to multifaceted social problems: urban and agricultural waste management, water purification, and clean air. Urban and agricultural waste can be processed into usable methane, as can the sewage during the water purification process. Cleaning and compressing the gas for use in vehicles then provides cleaner air than petroleum-consuming vehicles."

Continuing, Mr. Seisler states about Biomethane; "this environmental 'closed loop waste-to-energy-to-fuel used in vehicles that again truck the next load of waste to the energy processing plants-substitutes fossil fuels with a renewable resource and reduces greenhouse gases 100% as compared to over gasoline vehicles (on a well-to-wheel basis).

According to Peter Boisen Chairman, of ENGVA, "various well respected European research institutes now estimate more than three times better fuel output per hectare of land used than if going for ethanol or biodiesel. Sweden currently has a 51% Biomethane share, and Switzerland 37%. France, Norway, Germany and Austria use smaller amounts for vehicles. Iceland, completely without natural gas, uses 100% biomethane in its NGVs," Boisen says.  Continuing, Boisen adds, "China, India, Korea, the Ukraine, Spain and Italy are other examples of countries now starting up projects where Biomethane will be used as a vehicle fuel." 

"With the energy efficiency of the gas production process at 50% to 70% it's hard to think of a more socially acceptable and economic energy value for the transportation sector," Boisen says.

"Governments need to get out of their liquid fuel paradigm to refocus and balance their policies and communications to support the development of a Biomethane infrastructure. In Europe Biomethane has the potential to replace 20% of the petroleum consumed in the transport sector by 2030."

Thursday, 29 June 2006
Sacramento, California USA and Sweden 

In a ceremony held at the Ministry of the Environment in Stockholm, representatives of the Kingdom of Sweden and the State of California signed an agreement pledging the two governments and their related industries to work together to develop bioenergy, with a particular emphasis on Biomethane. 

“Through a strong working relationship between its industry and government, Sweden is showing how bioenergy can be developed in a cost-effective manner that benefits its economy and environment. We are extremely pleased to have signed this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will provide a basis for intensified collaboration between Swedish and California officials to develop a thriving bioenergy industry in California,” said Joe Desmond, Undersecretary for the California Resources Agency.

In particular, Sweden has been a global leader in terms of converting biowaste, largely agricultural material and residues, into usable Biomethane. This gas is then used to either generate electricity, residential heating, or as a transportation fuel.

More than 8,000 vehicles in Sweden are powered by a combination of natural gas and Biomethane. The vehicles include transit buses, refuse trucks, and more than 10 different models of passenger cars. There are more than 25 Biomethane production facilities in Sweden and 65 filling stations. The Swedish Biomethane industry has been growing at an annual rate of about 20 percent over the last five years.

According to the Swedish Gas Association, more than 50 percent of the methane used to power Sweden’s natural gas vehicles now comes from biological sources, up from 45% last year. Natural gas vehicle sales in Sweden are increasing at the rate of 25% per annum. 

Sweden was motivated to develop its Biomethane industry because it has no natural gas reserves, to more efficiently manage its waste, and to meet its obligations under the Kyoto Accord. Since Biomethane is developed from methane sources that would normally release into the atmosphere, it’s considered one of the most climate friendly fuels. Methane (and Biomethane) is 21 times more reactive as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2). Sweden is currently meetings its objectives and schedule as outlined in the Kyoto accord.

Biomethane is developed by heating up and breaking down biomaterials in an (Anaerobic Digesters) digester. Among other raw materials, Swedish operators feed their Anaerobic Digesters with slaughterhouse waste, swine manure, and even grassy crops. After the materials breakdown over a 20 day period, technology is then used to remove the impurities and produce Biomethane. Once cleaned-up, Biomethane is 98 percent methane and easily meets the Swedish and California pipeline standards.

The Memorandum of Understanding can be accessed on the California Resources Agency Web site: http://resources.ca.gov/press_documents/CaliforniaSwedenBiofuelsMOU.pdf

Our Lead Engineer has Over 27 Years Experience in Anaerobic Digester Design, Engineering and Operations - We are now Designing and Building the World's best Anaerobic Digesters.

Anaerobic Digesters recover valuable and toxic Biomethane from organic materials and prevents the Biomethane - which has a Global Warming Potential that is 21 times more harmful to our climate than Carbon Dioxide Emissions - from entering the atmosphere.  

Biomethane, which we also refer to as "Renewable Natural Gas" is used as a renewable fuel for our cogeneration and trigeneration power plants. Alternatively, we may sell the Biomethane to a customer and transport it to them from our Anaerobic Digesters via natural gas pipelines.

We believe Anaerobic Digesters and Biomethane represent exciting opportunities for generating renewable natural gas and profits - for multiple reasons:

1.  Anaerobic Digesters take an existing liability and waste (Biomethane) and convert it into an asset and " profit generator."

2.  Anaerobic Digesters mitigate and reverse climate change and global warming by preventing Biomethane to escape into the atmosphere, which is one of the major causes of climate change and global warming.  

Of all Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Biomethane is 21 times more harmful to the environment than Carbon Dioxide Emissions.

3.  Anaerobic Digesters are vital for renewable energy production and helping our country's drive for energy independence. 

4.  EVERY wastewater treatment plant as well as ALL Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO's) - IN EVERY COUNTRY - will soon be installing Anaerobic Digesters to prevent Biomethane from entering the atmosphere and help reverse climate change as well as for use as a renewable fuel. Or, they will be replacing their existing inefficient and inferior mechanical wastewater treatment plants, with our "Natural Wastewater Treatment" plants! 

5.  The country of Sweden is the global leader in Biomethane production.  Sweden has identified the Biomethane opportunities and is converting biowaste derived from agricultural material and residues into usable Biomethane. The Biomethane is used to generate clean, renewable electricity, residential heating, and also as a transportation fuel. Biomass sources make up 45% of Sweden’s Biomethane.  Sweden's Biomethane industry has been growing at an annual rate of around 20% over the last five years.  Biomethane powers more than 8,000 transit buses, garbage trucks, and 10 different models of passenger cars in Sweden. Sweden now has more than 25 Biomethane production facilities and 65 filling stations. The country believes that since Biomethane is developed from natural, organic sources that would have been released into the atmosphere, that Biomethane is considered one of the most climate-friendly fuels. Biomethane is 98% methane and easily meets the Swedish and California pipeline standards.

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How we make and distribute electricity is changing! 

The electric power generation, transmission and distribution system (the electric "grid") is changing and evolving from the electric grid of the 19th and 20th centuries, which was inefficient, highly-polluting, very expensive and “dumb.”  

The "old" way of generating and distributing energy resembles this slide:

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Photo courtesy of Alaska Image Library. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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About the Renewable Energy Institute, Climate Science,
Tax-payer Subsidies for Fossil Fuel & Nuclear Industries,
Peak Oil & America's Clear and Present Danger

Monty Goodell, MBA
Founder and Chairman
Renewable Energy Institute

The Renewable Energy Institute (REI) does not take a stand in the debate on global warming, and if there is global warming, is it "anthropogenic" or is it caused by the sun, or the sun's normal cycles.  Or, if there is " climate change," is it "global cooling" caused by the water vapor in the atmosphere? The stand we take is that we need to invest in renewable energy technologies, producing clean, renewable energy that doesn't pollute the planet, and end America's addiction to crude oil from foreign countries where we now spend OVER $1 Billion/day, to buy the oil we need, and some of those suppliers (muslims in foreign countries) take our dollars and make bombs and bullets and send our boys back in body bags. We need to stop this, and put American's back to work, generating "green power and energy" right here at home.

At the Renewable Energy Institute, we are waiting for the "true" scientists who doing the real research, to provide us with the science and answers critically needed to formulate correct policy - and not the phony " scientists" who are following politically-motivated and profit-driven agendas of the United Nations and government leaders. These phony scientists are not interested in conducting real scientific research.  Their very livelihoods are dependent on the government grants to fund their phony research that have pre-determined conclusions before and "research" is conducted.  

Political-interference by governments, governmental agencies, and bureaucrats that hand out billions of tax-payers dollars to phony scientists to conduct "junk science" and research,  expect the conclusions that supports anthropogenic global warming, or climate change. 

When scientists conclude in their research that they find no evidence of anthropogenic climate change or global warming, they are summarily dismissed, and black-balled from their communities and colleagues, and never again receive funding or grants.  Grants and funding by government bureaucrats with politically-driven agendas to "scientists" expecting their pre-determined results and conclusions supporting anthropogenic global warming must stop.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2007

• the solar industry received $198 million in subsidies.

• the oil and natural gas industry collected $2.1 Billion in tax-payer subsidies.

• the coal industry coal received $3.2 Billion in tax-payer subsidies.

And since 1960:

• the nuclear industry has received nearly $70 billion in tax-payer incentives and tax-payer subsidies. 

Taxpayers have bankrolled the oil and gas industry, and the coal industry for 100 years now, and the nuclear industry for 50 years, to keep these dirty fuels and energy "cheap." Take away the tax-payer incentives and tax dollars, and we believe the real cost of gasoline, would be similar to the gasoline cost in Europe - $7.00 - $8.00/gallon!

In the meantime, our U.S. Military is spending billions of tax-payer dollars each year protecting the Straits of Hormuz where much of the world's crude oil is produced and shipped through the straits' international shipping lanes.  Each day, hundreds of "very large crude carriers" pass through the Straits of Hormuz carrying oil from OPEC and the Middle-East to the U.S. and many other countries. 

Isn't it time we take some of the tax-payer dollars supporting the nuclear, coal and oil and gas industries, and start incentivizing clean, renewable energy technologies that don't pollute or harm the environment in any way?  Isn't it time that America ends its reliance on non-sustainable energy sources and stop over $1 billion every day, to oil suppliers from foreign countries, and start putting this money in "solar on every rooftop?!?

Mercury Emissions from Coal Fired Power Plants Far More Harmful to the Planet and People than Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Regarding the harm being caused to our planet from energy use, far more harm is being done to the planet, as well as to people and plants and animals, particularly fish, from the mercury emissions from coal fired power plants than from the coal fired power plants' greenhouse gas emissions.  We surmise that if any polar bears have died as a result of an environmental problem, it was more likely from the high levels of mercury in their food chain, than from greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Renewable Energy Institute is supporting and advancing renewable energy technologies, as well as reducing and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and the fossil-fuel problems related to America's oil addiction and ending our dependence on foreign oil.  The renewable energy technologies we support are already deemed to be economic, viable and practical. Solutions such as Solar Trigeneration energy systems (see www.SolarTrigeneration.com for more information) for any kind of facility or building - office buildings, shopping centers, data centers, university campuses, etc. 

Since 2003, a Solar Trigeneration energy system has been providing 100% of the power and energy for a 5,300 sq. ft. office building near downtown Los Angeles, and doing so without any connection to the electric grid, whether its 12 noon or 12 midnite!  

The Renewable Energy Institute is also involved in research and advocacy of "Net Zero Energy" (see: www.NetZeroEnergy.com for more information) and "Net Zero Energy Buildings" (see:  www.NetZeroEnergyBuildings.com for more information).  Net Zero Energy Buildings generate as much (or more) energy than they use, and export their excess power to the grid, which we believe needs to be updated into a "Transmission Superhighway."

Climate Change, Global Warming or Global Cooling?

The past 10 years indicates the opposite of "global warming" has occurred - that the "Earths Fever" has and that global cooling has taken place. 

Weather, on a daily basis, or even an annual basis, is not climate, and climate is not weather. 

"Climate change" is always taking place, from one day to the next, and one week to the next, as well as one year to the next. The planet's climate is an ever-evolving, changing and dynamic process.  

Again, researchers and scientists need to refrain from being political, and stay out of politics, and politicians need to stay out of the way of the scientists and researchers, and let them do their work.  Politicians, government leaders and bureaucrats scientists need true and accurate data and climate research from scientists that do not have a political agenda.

In the meantime, as there may still be 30 years of research before there are conclusive answers concerning anthropogenic climate change, can we "risk" 30 years of our children and grand children's future, should there is a link between climate change and greenhouse gas emissions?  Should we not err on the side of caution?

Hubbert's Peak Oil Predictions Now Proving True?

Marion King Hubbert was a geologist and scientist who worked at Shell Oil company's research lab in Houston, Texas.  Hubbert made several important contributions to geology, geophysics and petroleum geology.  Hubbert is most recognized for the "Hubbert Curve" and " Hubbert Peak Theory" which is now referred to as " Peak Oil. 

Hubbert's life work determined that the world has a finite amount of petroleum that can be produced.  (Similarly, there is a finite amount of coal.) Many scientists and engineers believe we have reached Hubbert's "peak oil" limit.  Hubbert's espouses that when 50% of domestic crude oil production has been reached, that there will be such significant upward demand on prices of the limited supplies of oil production, that the U.S. economy will experience severe economic, social, and political turmoil.

Hubbert's Peak Oil predictions have proven to be true and this is validated as the U.S. in the early 1970's produced about 60% of its' oil demand and imported 40%.  That equation has flipped since then, because our domestic oil production has been on the decline since 1970, so now, due to our declining domestic oil production, we have to import 60% of our oil supplies, to meet our country's oil/energy demands.

The Next Oil Shock Could be the "mother" of All Oil Shocks

How severe our economic calamity and next "oil shock" will depend upon a number of factors, including when this occurs, as well as the following:

1.  the dependence of the individual country upon its own crude oil production to meet its energy needs and to subsidize consumer imports; 

2.  the rate of relative decline in crude oil production; 

3.  the degree of difficulty encountered in replacing missing energy inputs; 

4.  the degree to which our country had prepared in advance for this inevitable geological and economic calamity.

Examples of past "oil shocks" and the economic and political calamities that followed:

United States: Our peak crude oil production of domestic oil occurred in 1970; the first "oil shock" and oil crisis followed in 1973 with the Arab/OPEC Oil Embargo.

Iran: Their peak crude oil production occurred in 1974; They had their islamic revolution 1979 that overturned government and replaced it with radical islam.

Soviet Union: Their peak crude oil production was in 1989; what happened next? 
Their country disintegrated and the collapse of the Soviet Union followed in 1991. 

Indonesia: Their peak crude oil production was in 1991; their financial and government crisis followed in 1997.

Iraq: Iraq's crude oil production was in 1989; they then invaded Kuwait (for their oil) in 1991.

Using Mr. Hubbert's predictions, that beginning around 2000  we would see peak (global) oil production, then, if the country's not weaning themselves off of their oil addiction, and had not begun making the switch to renewable energy, that the negative economic and political calamities would soon follow, including ever-increasing prices of energy that is from fossil fuels. 

Now is the time to begin weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels and making the transition to and increasing the use of renewable energy. If you don't believe in climate change, or global warming, GREAT! Join us in the switch to renewable energy and a fossil-free economy!

America's Clear and Present Danger"

America Has INCREASED its' Dependence on Foreign 
Sources of Energy by 50% Since 1973.

America is even more "addicted" to foreign oil today, than we were in 1973 - 1974 when OPEC, Saudi Arabia and other suppliers from the Middle-East  stopped selling us their fossil fuels, and created a significant blow to our economy.

According to Monty Goodell, Founder and Chairman of the Renewable Energy Institute, "our increased dependence and reliance on foreign energy supplies represents a Clear and Present Danger to our national security, our economy, and the lives and livelihood of every American. Energy - including the energy we use from imported fossil fuels, is the very "lifeblood" of the American economy as it is for every industrialized country.  An economy dies without it's lifeblood of energy. This Clear and Present Danger we face is far more serious than the problems related to greenhouse gas emissions.  And while greenhouse gas emissions are very serious issue, in the long-term, pales in comparison to America's vital national security interests and America's economic stability in the short term.  For this reason alone, America needs to transition away from its addiction to foreign energy supplies. And America's abundant renewable energy resources such as the energy we receive from the sun, and renewable energy technologies such as concentrated solar power (CSP) plants - can supply 100% of America's power requirements with a concentrating solar power plant measuring 75 miles by 75 miles, located in the Southwest U.S.  By generating America's power from concentrating solar power plants, America resolves its' short-term Clear and Present Danger as it relates to importing its energy from foreign countries, and the long-term problems relating to greenhouse gas emissions."

Continuing, Mr. Goodell states that "too many Americans have forgotten what happened to us in 1973, when the Arabs and OPEC brought the United States economy to a screeching halt during the OPEC Oil Embargo.  This happened because they (mainly the country of Saudi Arabia) disagreed with our foreign policy and is the reason why they "turned off the tap" of our need for their oil supplies. When Saudi Arabia and OPEC stopped the vital flow of oil to our country in 1973, they caused an "oil shock" that severely and negatively impacted our economy. 

Mr. Goodell's question for us to ponder is, "do these countries who sell us 60% of our daily energy requirements, like us and our foreign policy, or might they leverage our addiction to their fossil fuels, and turn off the tap to make us adjust or revise our foreign policy??  Like any addict, America's foreign policy may be held hostage to its addiction, and in this case, our addiction to foreign oil, may over-ride our national interests."

Have American's forgotten the gas shortages and long lines at 
their gas stations to get gas during the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973? 

"Apparently so."  Mr. Goodell states that "in 1973, America was 'addicted' and 'over the barrel' of foreign oil to the amount of 40%.  Forty percent of our energy 'needs' in 1973 came from countries - many of which didn't like us then, and I'm afraid, many of them still don't.  The difference between 1973 and today - is that today we receive 50% MORE foreign oil now than we did in 1973.  And now we know about the problems relating to greenhouse gas emissions that we didn't know then.  America needs to change course, and change course now, in terms of its' energy supplies and how we keep America's economy strong, without the threat of being held hostage to a middle-east tyrant or regime, that could once again, turn on us, and turn off our supply of foreign oil." 

Remember ????

" Sadly," Monty Goodell continues, " most Americans have forgotten the long lines of people waiting in their cars - lined up and waiting for gasoline at their nearby gas station, with lines that were many blocks long.  And, after waiting 4-5 hours, many even waiting overnight in many places, to finally take their turn to fill up their car with gasoline, only to find that the gas station had run out of gas." 

"Let me Repeat.... That was 1973 when we imported 40% of our daily energy requirements in the form of crude oil from overseas, and from foreign countries - and many of these from countries that don't like us.

Today, over 35 years later, America has yet to learn the lesson.  We cannot continue our reliance on energy from foreign countries that supply us with 60% of the crude oil that our refineries use as a feedstock for producing gasoline and diesel fuel for our cars and trucks comes from overseas. 

America is "over the barrel" and it's not our barrel, but the barrels of oil that we are addicted by and owned by other countries.  Why have we not learned the lessons we needed to learn in 1973 when we were cut-off from the vital energy supplies we need? 

Countries like China, are growing rapidly, and have an insatiable need for crude oil. China, with their booming economy, is increasingly growing in its clout and control over international supplies of crude oil - whether they do this through their ability to buy as much oil as they need on a daily basis, or whether they simply but American drilling rigs, technology, and explore and produce oil and gas from their own fields. China, is buying large amounts of oil for their country, and causing upward pricing on declining supplies. What happens if Russia, with all of their oil and natural gas, along with China and Venezuela, with or without the help of OPEC, decided to NOT sell oil to us????

To be sure, greenhouse gas emissions are a problem, and to some, greenhouse gas emissions are also a Clear and Present Danger, but not to the extent that it presents an imminent Clear and Present Danger. 

America's reliance for 60% of our energy "needs" coming from foreign suppliers is un-acceptable.

The "driver" to get America to begin reducing and eliminating fossil fuel use should be our nation's national security and the welfare and safety of its citizens. And this can all begin with developing and investing in our own renewable energy resources and renewable energy technologies, let's start by putting solar on every rooftop that has a clear and unobstructed view of the Southern sky. See www.RooftopPV.com  or  www.DistributedPV.com  for more information.  Let's create incentives begin with adopting a national "Feed In Tariff" as Germany did in 1990. 

America, we simply do NOT have the luxury of time on our hands.  We need to end our dependence and reliance on foreign fossil fuels, especially from countries that don't like us! We need to rapidly begin expanding renewable energy resources and renewable energy technologies from our vast and abundant renewable energy resources, such as; solar, solar energy systems, solar cogeneration, solar trigeneration, "solar on every roof," waste to energy, waste to fuel, biomass gasification, B100 Biodiesel, Biomethane, Synthesis Gas, geothermal, E100 Ethanol (from sugar cane and NOT from corn), and wind, where it makes economic sense."   

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