Download or read book Overview of the Chariton Valley Switchgrass Project written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigation of renewable energy in Iowa is centering on the use of agricultural crops to generate electricity. Switchgrass, a native grass of Iowa, is one of the most promising biomass producers. Chariton Valley RC and D Inc., a USDA affiliated rural development organization based in southern Iowa and Alliant Power, a major Iowa energy company, are leading a statewide coalition of public and private interests to develop a sustainable biomass industry. Chariton Valley RC and D is working with local producers and the agricultural professionals to develop a biomass supply infrastructure. Alliant Power is working to develop the technology to convert agricultural crops to energy to serve as the basis for sustainable commercial energy production. Iowa State University and others are assessing the long-term potential of gasification for converting switchgrass to energy. Plans call for modifications to a 750 MW Alliant Power coal plant that will allow switchgrass to be co-fired with coal. A 5% co-fire rate would produce 35 MW of electrical power production and require 50,000 acres of dedicated biomass supply in southern Iowa. Growing biomass crops on erosive lands, then using them as a substitute fuel in coal-fired boilers can potentially reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion and water pollution.

Download or read book Project Update written by United States. Department of Energy and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 2 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Summary of Chariton Valley Switchgrass Co fire Testing at the Ottumwa Generating Station in Chillicothe Iowa written by Wade A. Amos and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Summary of Chariton Valley Switchgrass Co Fire Testing at the Ottumwa Generating Station in Chillicothe Iowa written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Results of the switchgrass co-firing tests conducted at the Ottumwa Generating Station in Chillicothe, Iowa as part of the Chariton Valley Biomass Project. After several years of planning, the Chariton Valley Biomass Project successfully completed two months of switchgrass co-fire testing at the Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS) in Chillicothe, Iowa. From November 30, 2000, through January 25, 2001, the switchgrass team co-fired 1,269 tons (1,151 tonnes) of switchgrass at rates up to 16.8 tons/h (15.2 tonne/h), representing about 3% heat input to the 725-MW power plant. Stack testing was completed when co-firing switchgrass and when burning only coal. Fuel and ash samples were collected for analysis, and boiler performance and emissions data were collected. Numerous improvements were made to the feed-handling equipment during testing. The co-fire testing was completed with no environmental incidents, no injuries to personnel, and no loss in electricity output from OGS. The goals of the this--the first of three rounds of co-fire tests--were: to identify the effects of co-firing on boiler performance, to measure any changes in emissions during co-firing, and to gather information to improve the design of the switchgrass handling equipment. All three of these goals were met. The design target for the switchgrass handling system was 12.5 ton/h (11.3 tonne/h), which we exceeded after a redesign of the secondary grinder in our system. We had hoped to burn over 3,000 tons (2,722 tonnes) of switchgrass during this first round of testing, but because of poor equipment performance in December, we were unable to meet this target before the planned boiler shutdown in January. There were, however, several days in January when we burned more than 100 tons (91 tonnes) of switchgrass.

Download or read book The Economic Potential of Switchgrass as a Viable Biofuel Alternative written by Jennifer E. Reutzel and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To be commercially viable as a bioenergy feedstock, switchgrass must be cost-competitive. Switchgrass production and delivery costs are calculated for the Chariton Valley Switchgrass Biomass Project located in the Chariton Valley, Iowa. Sensitivity analyses are performed to determine which variables have the greatest impact on cost. Switchgrass production costs would require higher than expected market prices, and therefore various incentive payment options are considered. The incentive payments attempt to encapsulate the positive environmental attributes from the production of switchgrass as well as using switchgrass as a clean energy coal substitute. A modified CRP payment, carbon payment, and green tag payment are all considered, and their relative advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The modified CRP payment and the green tag payment are shown to have significant potential for offsetting high switchgrass costs of production.

Download or read book Switchgrass Biomass Energy Storage Project Final Report September 23 1996 December 31 1996 written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chariton Valley Biomass Power Project, sponsored by the Chariton Valley RC & D Inc., a USDA-sponsored rural development organization, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Energy Bureau (IDNR-EB), and IES Utilities, a major Iowa energy company, is directed at the development of markets for energy crops in southern Iowa. This effort is part of a statewide coalition of public and private interests cooperating to merge Iowa's agricultural potential and its long-term energy requirements to develop locally sustainable sources of biomass fuel. The four-county Chariton Valley RC & D area (Lucas, Wayne, Appanoose and Monroe counties) is the site of one of eleven NREL/EPRI feasibility studies directed at the potential of biomass power. The focus of renewable energy development in the region has centered around the use of swithgrass (Panicum virgatum, L.). This native Iowa grass is one of the most promising sustainable biomass fuel crops. According to investigations by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), switchgrass has the most potential of all the perennial grasses and legumes evaluated for biomass production.

Download or read book Investigation of an Integrated Switchgrass Gasification fuel Cell Power Plant Final Report for Phase 1 of the Chariton Valley Biomass Power Project written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chariton Valley Biomass Power Project, sponsored by the US Department of Energy Biomass Power Program, has the goal of converting switchgrass grown on marginal farmland in southern Iowa into electric power. Two energy conversion options are under evaluation: co-firing switchgrass with coal in an existing utility boiler and gasification of switchgrass for use in a carbonate fuel cell. This paper describes the second option under investigation. The gasification study includes both experimental testing in a pilot-scale gasifier and computer simulation of carbonate fuel cell performance when operated on gas derived from switchgrass. Options for comprehensive system integration between a carbonate fuel cell and the gasification system are being evaluated. Use of waste heat from the carbonate fuel cell to maximize overall integrated plant efficiency is being examined. Existing fuel cell power plant design elements will be used, as appropriate, in the integration of the gasifier and fuel cell power plant to minimize cost complexity and risk. The gasification experiments are being performed by Iowa State University and the fuel cell evaluations are being performed by Energy Research Corporation.

Download or read book Chariton Valley Biomass Project Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Switchgrass is a warm-weather, native Iowa grass that grows well on marginal land. It has been identified and extensively studied for its potential as a biomass energy crop, especially its potential for use as co-fire feedstock in coal-burning plants. In this environmental assessment (EA), the term ''co-fire'' refers to the burning of switchgrass in the OGS boiler in conjunction with coal, with the goal of reducing the amount of coal used and reducing emissions of some objectionable air pollutants associated with coal combustion. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide partial funding for (1) the design and construction of a biomass (switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) storage, handling, and conveying system into the boiler at the Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS) near Chillicothe, Iowa; (2) operational testing of switchgrass as a biomass co-fire feedstock at OGS; and (3) ancillary activities related to growing, harvesting, storing, and transporting switchgrass in areas of the Rathbun Lake watershed. Chillicothe is in Wapello County on the south side of the Des Moines River, approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of Ottumwa, Iowa, and 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Des Moines. The OGS is a 725-megawatt (MW) maximum output, low-sulfur, pulverized coal-burning plant jointly owned by several Iowa utilities and operated by Alliant Energy. The plant is located about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northwest of Chillicothe, Iowa, on the Des Moines River. The following three-phase switchgrass co-fire test campaign has been planned and partially implemented at OGS: During Phase 1, which occurred from November 2000 through January 2001, Alliant Energy conducted Co-fire Test 1 at OGS. Phase 2 testing, the Proposed Action, would consist of two additional co-fire tests. Co-fire Test 2, which would utilize some residual equipment from Co-fire Test 1 and also test some new equipment, is currently planned for September/October 2003. It would be designed to test and demonstrate the engineering and environmental feasibility of co-firing up to 11.3 tonnes (12.5 tons) of switchgrass per hour and would burn a maximum of 5,440 tonnes (6,000 tons) of switchgrass. Co-fire Test 3, which is tentatively planned for winter 2004/2005, would test the long-term (approximately 2,000 hours) sustainability of processing 11.3 tonnes (12.5 tons) per hour. Co-fire Test 3 would be conducted using a proposed new process building and storage barn that would be constructed at the OGS as part of the Proposed Action. Phase 3, commercial operations, may occur if Phase 2 indicated that commercial operations were technically, environmentally, and economically feasible. Continuous, full-scale commercial operations could process up to 23 tonnes (25 tons) of switchgrass per hour, generate 35 MW per year of OGS's annual output, and replace 5 percent of the coal burned at OGS with switchgrass. Chariton Valley Resource Conservation and Development Inc. (Chariton Valley RC & D), a rural-development-oriented, non-profit corporation (Chariton Valley RC & D 2003a) and Alliant Energy would implement Phase 3 at their discretion after the completion of the Phase 2 co-fire tests. DOE's Proposed Action would support only Phase 2 testing; that is, Co-fire Tests 2 and 3. DOE has no plans to provide financial support for the commercial operations that would be performed during Phase 3. The new construction that DOE proposes to partially fund would include a new switchgrass processing facility and equipment and a new storage barn that would be used for Co-fire Test 3. This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates the environmental impacts that could result from the Proposed Action. It also evaluates the impacts that could occur if DOE decided not to partially fund the Proposed Action (the No Action Alternative). No other action alternatives are analyzed because (1) no generating plants other than OGS have the installed infrastructure and operating experience necessary to conduct Phase 2 co-fire testing, and (2) the Rathbun Lake watershed is the only viable source of the supply of switchgrass necessary to conduct the testing at OGS. This EA has been prepared under DOE's regulations and guidelines for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. A draft version of this EA was distributed to interested members of the public and to Federal, state, and local agencies for review and comment prior to any final decisions by DOE on the Proposed Action.

Download or read book Fuels of Opportunity Characteristics and Uses In Combustion Systems written by David Tillman and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2004-01-20 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As electricity generators and process industries are increasingly seeking less expensive fuels for the generation of electricity and process heat, there is an ever-increasing industry-led emphasise on exploring the possibility of utilising opportunity fuels. Fuels of Opportunity: Characteristics and Uses In Combustion Systems considers a diverse range of opportunity fuels and their application by addressing the following fundamental issues: What are the specific fuel properties of these opportunity fuels? What are the combustion/conversion characteristics of these fuels fired alone or in combination with conventional fossil fuels? How are they best applied in energy settings? What are the technical and environmental consequences of their use? In considering these fuels the book presents detailed updated information on fuel characterization approaches and fuel utilization technologies. Explores environmental considerations associated with opportunity fuels, such as, how their utilisation of opportunity fuels can reduce airborne emissions Provides professionals in energy generation/energy use industries, a clear definition of fuels of opportunity, evaluates their composition, highlights the modern characteristics, and considers the technologies appropriate for their utilisation in energy applications Offers in-depth analysis of opportunity fuel usage, with a strong concentration on the relationship between the combustion processes and subsequent consequences to the structure, reactivity, and related properties of opportunity fuels

Download or read book Investigation of an Integrated Switchgrass Gasification written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chariton Valley Biomass Power Project, sponsored by the US Department of Energy Biomass Power Program, has the goal of converting switchgrass grown on marginal farmland in southern Iowa into electric power. Two energy conversion options are under evaluation: co-firing switchgrass with coal in an existing utility boiler and gasification of switchgrass for use in a carbonate fuel cell. This paper describes the second option under investigation. The gasification study includes both experimental testing in a pilot-scale gasifier and computer simulation of carbonate fuel cell performance when operated on gas derived from switchgrass. Options for comprehensive system integration between a carbonate fuel cell and the gasification system are being evaluated. Use of waste heat from the carbonate fuel cell to maximize overall integrated plant efficiency is being examined. Existing fuel cell power plant design elements will be used, as appropriate, in the integration of the gasifier and fuel cell power plant to minimize cost complexity and risk. The gasification experiments are being performed by Iowa State University and the fuel cell evaluations are being performed by Energy Research Corporation.

Download or read book Introduction to Bioenergy written by Vaughn C. Nelson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-12-19 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore a Major Component of Renewable Energy Introduction to Bioenergy takes a look at energy from biomass (thermal energy, power, liquid fuels, and biogas) and envisions a sustainable future fueled by renewable energy. From production to conversion to heat, power, and biofuel, this book breaks down the science of bioenergy and explains the major processes for its production, conversion, and use. Covers Solar Energy, Bioenergy, and Biomass Resources The book begins with an introduction to solar energy (the source of bioenergy) and then moves on to describe bioenergy, biomass, chemical conversion, and the renewable energy processes involved. The authors cover measurement energy parameters, analysis of data, and the prediction of energy production for different bio products. They also consider the institutional, environmental, and economic concerns surrounding bioenergy. An all-inclusive resource covering a rapidly-advancing field, this book: Explores the impact of climate change and global warming on the production of biomass Describes the positive and negative effects of biomass production on ecosystems and biodiversity Illustrates the use of biomass for the production of electricity Considers the replacement of fossil fuels with biofuels, biofuel production, and emerging technologies Addresses institutional and environmental issues relevant to bioenergy Discusses factors impacting the economic feasibility of renewable energy systems Introduction to Bioenergy defines major processes for the production, conversion, and use of bioenergy. A book suitable for coursework or self-study, this essential work serves students and practicing professionals in the renewable energy, environmental science, agriculture engineering, and biology fields.

Download or read book Biomass and Environmental Trading written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Authorization Request written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 1538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2006 written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 1302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2002 written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 1534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book 107 1 Hearings Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2002 Part 4 2001 written by and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 1580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2002 Department of Energy fiscal year 2002 budget justifications written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 3046 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: