Chris Lowe : March 2008 Archives

Biomass is an attractive energy source for a number of reasons. First, Biomass is a renewable energy source. Biomass is also more evenly distributed over the earth's surface than fossil fuel energy sources, and may be harnessed using more cost effective technologies. Biomass provides us the opportunity to be more energy self-sufficient. It helps to reduce climate change (global warming). It also helps farmers & ranchers to augment their incomes and provides rural job opportunities.

Biomass is a renewable fuel that can be sustainably produced in an environmentally conscientious manner. Using Biomass in place of conventional, non-renewable fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, propane and coal makes economic and environmental sense for several reasons:

·         Biomass fuel is a locally produced product; In contrast to coal or petroleum-based fossil fuels, Biomass is grown and harvested locally. Energy dollars spent on Biomass fuel stays in the regional economy, creating jobs and supporting forestry and agriculture.

·         Biomass fuel prices are generally lower and more stable; Compared to fossil fuels, Biomass fuels are historically lower-priced. Over the past 20 years Biomass fuel prices have increased by only about 1 percent per year.

·         Biomass energy is good for the environment; Using Biomass fuels in place of fossil fuels reduces the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases which cause climate change and can also reduce the levels of emissions that produce acid rain.

·         Biomass fuel is evolving rapidly; Historically, the use of Biomass for energy was limited to the burning of wood because wood is dense enough to produce heat for a reasonable length of time. Wood also required minimal processing and was in abundant supply. The Biomass processing technology developed at Prairie Bio Energy in recent years has transformed agricultural residues into an efficient, cost effective fuel through the process of densification.

The use of biomass as a source of energy has become a practical and reliable way to provide electricity, heat and hot water over the last decade in many European countries and in some Canadian provinces. Biomass sources include both, food and non-food crop residues, grassy and woody plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, organic components of municipal and industrial wastes and animal waste such as cow manure and chicken litter. Fundamentally, biomass is stored solar energy that can be converted to electricity or fuel. Prairie Bio-Energy has developed and applied for patents for its unique bio-mass fuel product. Essentially a densified cube made up of a blend of agricultural crop residues and non-hazardous industrial processing wastes such as box-board, scrap paper and recycled wood called Prairie Bio-Cubes® (Patents & Trademark pending).

Prairie Bio-Cubes® are considered CO2 neutral since their combustion recycles present day carbon dioxide to the atmosphere that is in turn sequestered during the growth of the Biomass used to produce them.

Fossil fuels by comparison release CO2 that was removed from the atmosphere and trapped in the earth millions of years ago.

An interesting article from the February 28th Edition of the Economist. It talks about how many former "Silicon Valley Techies" are now finding lucrative and exciting oportunities in the clean technology industry.

Here's an excerpt

"WHEN Shai Agassi, long the heir apparent at SAP, was told in March 2007 that he would not become chief executive for at least another two years, he quit. And when the German software giant then tried to change his mind by offering to make him boss right away, he realised he was "much more excited" about the new chance that his unexpected freedom would grant him. In January Mr Agassi's new start-up, Better Place, announced its first deal, in partnership with Renault, a carmaker, and the government of Israel: to "get an entire country off its addiction to gasoline" by switching to electric cars."

Read the Full Article