Minnesota State Univeristy in Mankato was host to the first US International Bioenergy Days with the cooperation of Sweden. Many state and local government representatives including
DEED- The Department of Employment and Economic Development and the BioBusiness Alliance particpated and although the governor regretted that he could not attend someone from his office launched the congress. Members from the
Swedish Energy Agency and host
ÄFAB were also in attendance. The focus of the congress was to connect individuals involved in research, development, and implementation of bioenergy technologies including ethanol, pyrolysis technologies, biomass, wind, carbon sequestration, and solar. Many vendors were present to showcase their wares including a number of Swedish suppliers looking to bring their technology, especially wood chip and biomass pellet oil burners. To my delight HHT the parent company of Harman Stove Company, Quadrafire, Heat n' Glow, and Heatilator was also there showcasing their technolgy and FlexFuel Boiler which is slated to go into production early in 2009.
Special guest
Will Steger who regaled us with his tales of exploring and traversing the arctic by kayak, and dogsled while giving a first hand account of the consequences of global warming.
Transportation is our largest energy requirement
While thermal heating accounts for about 25% of our energy requirements the US focus for the conference was on vehicle fuel, and electrical generation. The Swedish presenters and attendees shared their success with biomass and roundwood district heating, large scale, small scale and residential heating in addition to their electrical generation and co-generation facilities.
Forty-eight percent of Sweden's energy comes from Biomass and 63% from non-petroleum sources. District Heating is the most common thermal biomass use with 10 Megawatts being the average size. This is an excellent model of a (carbon nuetral) closed system- wood chips/biomass pellets --> heat --> ashes--> fertilizer...
Emissions by energy sector are 24% transportation, 20% industrial, 28% homes and buildings, and 32% Electrical.
Globally petroleum demand is at 82 million barrels per day, and although there is concensus that peak oil occurred in 2006-2008 it is estimated that by 2020 global demand will reach 120 million barrels per day. India and China's demand alone help cement this demand curve rise.
Very interesting presentations on global warming, including a CO2 chart showing atmospheric CO2 levels over the last 600,000 years with an average swing from 50 ppm to 250 ppm. Until 1800 that is when we have had a steady rise from just above 50 ppm to 380 ppm in 2004, and an estimated destination of 750 ppm by 2100. Renewable fuels including biomass wood pellets are part of the solution to help slow the rise of CO2 in our atmosphere.
There were two big things I came away from the conference with. First, there is not one answer, not one fuel solution. It will take the cooperation of technologies and methods to help meet global transportation, industrial, thermal, and electrical demands.
The other was when Mr. Michael Bruce, the Senior Advisor for Finance, from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sector of the Department of Energy did his presentation on government subsidies, tax credits, and support programs provided by the DOE. When Bruce Lisle, the former Pellet Fuels Institute President, asked him why there was no mention of or allowance for thermal, which accounts for 25% of energy, in his presentation, funding, or support. After sharing a puzzled deer in the headlights look with a fellow presenter he said they had no allocation for thermal because we have natural gas. (PERIOD!) Follow up questions tried to pursue the lack of consideration for something that is so significant to be responded to that we don't need any programs for thermal or thermal biomass.
I encourage each and every one to write a letter to your local congressmen/women, senators, and Mr. Bruce. If you need help finding contact information for your local representatives e-mail me and I will assist you. Mr. Bruce's contact information is:
Michael Bruce
Senior Advisor for Finance
US Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585
michael.bruce@ee.doe.gov
