Bioenergy forBioenergy forthe Consumerthe Consumer

Susan Powers, PhD, Clarkson UniversitySusan Powers, PhD, Clarkson University

Scott Gordon, PhD, Green Technologies, LLC Scott Gordon, PhD, Green Technologies, LLC

Jock Gill, Vermont Grass Energy Collaborative Jock Gill, Vermont Grass Energy Collaborative

Bill Olsen, St. Lawrence UniversityBill Olsen, St. Lawrence University

Bioenergy for the ConsumerBioenergy for the ConsumerWhy should I be a consumer of bioenergy?Why should I be a consumer of bioenergy?

Government programsGovernment programs

SustainabilitySustainability

What are the options?What are the options?

What products available –What products available –Generally? Locally? Generally? Locally?

Now? Next year?Now? Next year?

How can I buy and use these products?How can I buy and use these products?

How can we create demand to help create the How can we create demand to help create the supply?supply?

How can I help to ensure that this remains a How can I help to ensure that this remains a SUSTAINABLE energy supply?SUSTAINABLE energy supply?

Why Bioenergy?Why Bioenergy?Biomass is:Biomass is:

AbundantAbundant

RenewableRenewable

Nearly carbon-neutralNearly carbon-neutral

A sustainable source of A sustainable source of hydrocarbons.hydrocarbons.

Biomass can:Biomass can:Fill the gap between oil Fill the gap between oil demand and supply in the demand and supply in the near term.near term.

Move regions like ours Move regions like ours towards energy towards energy independenceindependence

Bioenergy SYSTEMBioenergy SYSTEM

FinancingTransportationPolicies / Incentives

IncentivesMarketingTransportationDistribution system

By-productsEmployment

So

ciet

y

EmissionsEnv. Degradation

En

viro

nm

ent

FeedstockConversion

Technol. product Markets

Bioenergy industry

TheyThey are telling us to use it… are telling us to use it…

Federal - Energy Policy Act 2005Federal - Energy Policy Act 2005– Energy security / energy independenceEnergy security / energy independence

NYS – 90% transportation fuel imported, NYS – 90% transportation fuel imported, 45% from OPEC45% from OPEC

– Renewable fuel Renewable fuel standardstandard

NYS NYS – 25% renewable 25% renewable

electricity by electricity by 2013 2013 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2006 2008 2010 2012

Bill

ion

s G

allo

ns

Ren

ewab

le F

uel

(2.8%)

Bioenergy Product OptionsBioenergy Product Options

WoodWood– LogsLogs– ChipsChips– PelletsPellets

Grass pelletsGrass pelletsPowerPower– From the gridFrom the grid

BiofuelBiofuel– BiodieselBiodiesel– Green dieselGreen diesel– EthanolEthanol

UsesUses– Home heatingHome heating– TransportationTransportation– ElectricityElectricity– Industrial / institutional Industrial / institutional

heating, combined heating, combined heat and powerheat and power

Bioenergy Consumer ProductsBioenergy Consumer Products

WoodWood– LogsLogs– ChipsChips– PelletsPellets

Grass pelletsGrass pelletsPowerPower– From the gridFrom the grid

BiofuelBiofuel– BiodieselBiodiesel– Green dieselGreen diesel– EthanolEthanol

UsesUses– Home heatingHome heating– TransportationTransportation– ElectricityElectricity– Industrial / institutional Industrial / institutional

heating, combined heating, combined heat and powerheat and power

Bioenergy Consumer ProductsBioenergy Consumer Products

WoodWood– LogsLogs– ChipsChips– PelletsPellets

Grass pelletsGrass pelletsPowerPower– From the gridFrom the grid

BiofuelBiofuel– BiodieselBiodiesel– Green dieselGreen diesel– EthanolEthanol

UsesUses– Home heatingHome heating– TransportationTransportation– ElectricityElectricity– Industrial / institutional Industrial / institutional

heating, combined heating, combined heat and powerheat and power

Bioenergy Consumer ProductsBioenergy Consumer Products

WoodWood– Logs Logs – ChipsChips– PelletsPellets

Grass pelletsGrass pelletsPowerPower– From the gridFrom the grid

BiofuelBiofuel– BiodieselBiodiesel– Green dieselGreen diesel– EthanolEthanol

UsesUses– Home heatingHome heating– TransportationTransportation– ElectricityElectricity– Industrial heating, Industrial heating,

combined heat and combined heat and powerspowers

Bioenergy Consumer ProductsBioenergy Consumer Products

WoodWood– Logs Logs – ChipsChips– PelletsPellets

Grass pelletsGrass pelletsPowerPower– From the gridFrom the grid

BiofuelBiofuel– BiodieselBiodiesel– Green dieselGreen diesel– EthanolEthanol

UsesUses– Home heatingHome heating– TransportationTransportation– ElectricityElectricity– Industrial heating, Industrial heating,

combined heat and combined heat and powerspowers

Example Conversion TechnologiesExample Conversion Technologies

Wood* ConversionWood* Conversion

– Direct combustionDirect combustion

– High efficiency High efficiency combustioncombustion

– GasificationGasification

– FermentationFermentation

Energy ProductsEnergy Products

– HeatHeat

– Combined heat and Combined heat and powerpower

– Green dieselGreen diesel

– EthanolEthanol

* the “original” bioenergy source; “nature’s oldest renewable energy source”the “original” bioenergy source; “nature’s oldest renewable energy source”

Wide variety in processes can result in a wide range of products; Just like petroleum!

But outdoor wood boilers?But outdoor wood boilers?

OWBs may be among the dirtiest and least economical modes of heatingProperly operated, OWBs emit more fine particulate matter pollution– 4 times more than conventional wood stoves, – 12 times more than EPA-certified wood stoves, – 1000 times more than oil furnaces, – 1800 times more than gas furnaces.

Fine particulate matter pollution has both short-term and long-term health effects.

(Elliot Spitzer, 2005)

Economics – Supply and DemandEconomics – Supply and Demand

Rural areas Rural areas – Less demandLess demand– Faced with smaller supply of bioenergy Faced with smaller supply of bioenergy

productsproducts

ExampleExample– Wood pellets 2006Wood pellets 2006– Many pellet stoves sold Many pellet stoves sold

but limited supply of pelletsbut limited supply of pellets

– Curran Renewable Energy LLC, Massena, Curran Renewable Energy LLC, Massena, proposed wood pellet facilityproposed wood pellet facility

Current Biodiesel SupplyCurrent Biodiesel Supply

Biodiesel Fuel StationsBiodiesel Fuel Stations

Biodiesel DistributorsBiodiesel Distributors– Sprague ( )Sprague ( )– Collins Oil ( )Collins Oil ( )– Noco ( )Noco ( )

BD produced in FultonBD produced in FultonJanuary 2008 ( ) January 2008 ( )

Barry Collins OilBarry Collins Oil

Home Heating oil distributorHome Heating oil distributor

Dedicated to biodieselDedicated to biodiesel

Sells biodiesel / oilSells biodiesel / oilblends B5, B20blends B5, B20

St. Lawrence, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Franklin, Essex, Essex, Clinton Co.Clinton Co.

Current Ethanol SupplyCurrent Ethanol Supply

Ethanol added to Ethanol added to gasoline for gasoline for transportationtransportation

E10 required as E10 required as oxygenate in gasolineoxygenate in gasoline

Planned ethanol Planned ethanol production facilitiesproduction facilities

ProposedProposed

E85

Creating the DemandCreating the Demand

Identify customer base Identify customer base – Who is the “consumer”?Who is the “consumer”?

Advocate for increased Advocate for increased use of bioenergyuse of bioenergy

Vote and consumeVote and consumeknowledgeablyknowledgeably

IndustriesAssociated CollegesFleet Transporters

Small BusinessesK-12 institutions

Home-owner

The continuing role of politicsThe continuing role of politics

Pres. Bush and Gov. PatakiPres. Bush and Gov. Pataki– Ethanol advocatesEthanol advocates– Mostly corn, some from cellulosicsMostly corn, some from cellulosics tax incentives for new production, fuel tax tax incentives for new production, fuel tax

creditscredits

Gov. SpitzerGov. Spitzer– ““Spitzer's Silence on Ethanol Fight Speaks Spitzer's Silence on Ethanol Fight Speaks

Volumes " (April 19, 2007)Volumes " (April 19, 2007)– B-20 tax credit at sale – expires June 30, 2007B-20 tax credit at sale – expires June 30, 2007

Doing it rightDoing it right

SUSTAINABILITYSUSTAINABILITY– People, prosperity and planetPeople, prosperity and planet

Use bioenergy in a manner that Use bioenergy in a manner that – Does not negatively impact human conditionDoes not negatively impact human condition– Recognizes the limits to the Earth’s capacity Recognizes the limits to the Earth’s capacity

to renew itselfto renew itself– Concentrates on LOCAL supply and demand Concentrates on LOCAL supply and demand

as much as possibleas much as possible

Conservation most importantConservation most important

Sue’s Opinions on Sue’s Opinions on SustainableSustainable Bioenergy in NNYBioenergy in NNY

We have a great capacity for forest and We have a great capacity for forest and dedicated crop biomass productiondedicated crop biomass production

We should expand local resource We should expand local resource utilization and bioenergy economyutilization and bioenergy economy– Biomass harvest / growthBiomass harvest / growth– Biomass conversionBiomass conversion– Bioenergy product distribution and useBioenergy product distribution and use

We should approach increased utilization We should approach increased utilization of corn-based ethanol very cautiouslyof corn-based ethanol very cautiously

Learning MoreLearning More

TonightTonight– Scott Gordon – BiodieselScott Gordon – Biodiesel– Jock Gill – PelletsJock Gill – Pellets– Bill Olsen – Wood gasificationBill Olsen – Wood gasification

TomorrowTomorrow– Pellets – 9 amPellets – 9 am– Bioheat panel – 11 amBioheat panel – 11 am– Alternative Fuels – 11 amAlternative Fuels – 11 am– Wood gasification – 3 pmWood gasification – 3 pm– Biodiesel production - 4 pmBiodiesel production - 4 pm