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Biogas Conditioning
www.BiogasConditioning.com

Biogas Conditioning, Engineering and Project Development Services

What is Biogas Conditioning?

Biogas conditioning is the process of purifying "biogas to biomethane" and removes the impurities of raw biogas, such as; H2S, CO2, nitrogen, siloxanes, H20, and other impurities.

Biogas conditioning is similar to "gas conditioning"  in the oil and natural gas industry.  Biogas conditioning is also referred to as commonly referred to as: Gas Sweetening, Natural Gas Conditioning or Natural Gas Treating, and may include several technologies in the gas processing process such as; Amine Plants, H2S Removal, and aqueous solutions of various alkanolamines (also referred to as amines) to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from natural gas.

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Our "Integrated" CHP Systems (available in either Cogeneration or Trigeneration 
configuration) Have Very High Efficiencies, Low Emissions & Low Fuel Costs

The Effective Heat Rate for our CHP Systems is Approximately 
4100 btu/kW.  This equates to a Total System Efficiency of 92%.

Pictures (below) of a Custom Designed and Engineered 
Cogeneration Plant Being Built for New Customer.

This Cogeneration Plant is Rated at 900 kW and Features:
(2) Natural Gas Engines @ 450 kW each on one Skid with Optional 
Selective Catalytic Reduction system that removes Nitrogen Oxides to "non-detect"

About us:

We provide architectural, emissions abatement, engineering, energy master planning, custom-designed and packaged CHP Systems (cogeneration and trigeneration energy systems) and renewable energy project development services, including;

• Amine Plants

• Anaerobic Digesters

• Architects and Engineers

• Architectural and Engineering

• Automated Demand Response - ADR

• Balance of Plant - BOP

• Balance of System - BOS

• Battery Energy Storage - BES

• Biogas Development

• Biogas Processing

• Biogas Recovery

• Biomass Gasification

• Brayton Cycle

• Bulk Energy Storage

• Carnot Cycle

• Carbon Emissions Consulting

• Carbon Free Energy

• Cheng Cycle

• CHP Systems

• Clean Power Generation

• Cogeneration

• Compressed Air Energy Storage - CAES

• Concentrated Solar Power - CSP

• Concentrating Solar Power

• Decentralized Energy

• Demand Side Management - DSM

• Dispersed Generation

• Distributed Generation

• Distributed Energy Resources - DER

• Distributed PV

• Distributed Solar Generation

• District Energy Systems

• EcoGeneration

• Economic Feasibility

• Emissions Abatement 

• Emissions Engineering

• Energy Master Plan

• Energy Master Plans

• Energy Master Planning

• Engineering Feasibility

• Engineering Procurement Construction - EPC

• Evacuated Tube Collectors

• Flywheel Energy Storage

• Frequency Regulation

• Front End Engineering

• Front End Engineering Design - FEED

• Front End Loading

• Gas Gathering

• Gas to Power

• Graz Cycle

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions consulting

• Greenhouse Gas Permitting

• Greenhouse Gas Reporting

• H2S Removal

• High Concentration PV

• High Voltage Direct Current - HVDC

• Integrated Energy Systems

• Interconnection Studies

• Kalina Cycle

• Methane Recovery

• Molten Salt Storage

• Natural Gas Storage

• Natural Gas Treating

• Net Zero Energy - NZE

• Net Zero Energy Buildings - NZEB

• Onsite Power Generation

• Organic Rankine Cycle - ORC

• Parabolic Troughs

• Peak Load Management

• Pipeline Quality Gas

• Plasma Gasification

• Pollution Free Power

• Power Factor Correction

• Power Purchase Agreement consulting & PPA fundingProject Development

• Project Development

• Project Management

• Project Finance/Funding introduction to potential investors

• Rankine Cycle

• Recycled Energy

• Renewable Natural Gas

• Rooftop PV

• Salt Dome Storage

• Sewage Sludge

• Smart Grid

• Solar Cogeneration

• Solar Desalination

• Solar Power Parks

• Solar Power Towers

• Solar Thermal Collectors

• Solar Trigeneration

• Stranded Gas

• Solar Water Heating Systems

• Sustainable Building Solutions

• Sustainable Building Technologies

• Sustainable Urban Living

• Syngas Cleanup

• Synthesis Gas - Syngas

• Trigeneration

• Unified Smart Grid

• Virtual Power Plants

• Waste Heat Recovery

• Waste to Energy

• Waste to Fuel

• Wastewater Treatment Systems

• Zero Emission Energy

• Zero Emission Power

What is "Cogeneration"?

Did you know that 10% of our nation's electricity now comes from "cogeneration" plants?

And because cogeneration is so efficient, it saves its customers up to 40% on their energy expenses, and provides even greater savings to our environment through significant reductions in fuel usage and much lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Cogeneration - also known as “combined heat and power” (CHP), cogen, district energy, total energy, and combined cycle, is the simultaneous production of heat (usually in the form of hot water and/or steam) and power, utilizing one primary fuel such as natural gas, or a renewable fuel, such as Biomethane, B100 Biodiesel, or Synthesis Gas.

Cogeneration technology is not the latest industry buzz-word being touted as the solution to our nation's energy woes. Cogeneration is a proven technology that has been around for over 120 years!

Our nation's first commercial power plant was a cogeneration plant that was designed and built by Thomas Edison in 1882 in New York. Our nation's first commercial power plant was called the "Pearl Street Station."

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What is "Trigeneration"?

Trigeneration is the simultaneous production of three forms of energy - typically, Cooling, Heating and Power - from only one fuel input. Put another way, our trigeneration power plants produce three different types of energy for the price of one.

Trigeneration energy systems can reach overall system efficiencies of 86% to 93%.  Typical "central" power plants, that do not need the heat generated from the combustion and power generation process, are only about 33% efficient.

Trigeneration Diagram & Description
Trigeneration Power Plants' Have the Highest System Efficiencies and are 
About 300 % More Efficient than Typical Central Power Plants

Trigeneration plants are installed at locations that can benefit from all three forms of energy.  These types of installations that install trigeneration energy systems are called "onsite power generation" also referred to as "decentralized energy."   

One of our company's principal's first experience with the design and development of a trigeneration power plant was the trigeneration power plant installation at Rice University in 1987 where our trigeneration development team started out by conducting a "cogeneration" feasibility study.  The EPC contractor that Rice University selected installed the trigeneration power which included a 4.0 MW Ruston gas turbine power plant, along with waste heat recovery boilers and Absorption Chillers.  A "waste heat recovery boiler" captures the heat from the exhaust of the gas turbine.  From there, the recovered energy was converted to chilled water - originally from (3) Hitachi Absorption Chillers - 2 were rated at 1,000 tons each, and the third Hitachi Absorption Chiller was rated at 1,500 tons. The Hitachi Absorption Chillers were replaced shortly after their installation by the EPC company.  The first trigeneration plant at Rice University was so successful, they added a second 5.0 MW trigeneration plant so today, Rice University is now generating about 9.0 MW of electricity, and also producing the cooling and heating the university needs from the trigeneration plant and circulating the trigeneration energy around its campus.

Trigeneration Chart
Trigeneration's "Super-Efficiency" compared 
with other competing technologies
As you can see, there is No Competition for Trigeneration!

Our cogeneration and trigeneration energy systems are "custom" designed and engineered for each of our new client's businesses and facilities.  Our cogeneration and trigeneration energy systems are an ideal energy solution for many businesses, including;  Data Centers, Hospitals, Universities, Airports, Central Plants, Colleges & Universities, Dairies, Server Farms, District Heating & Cooling Plants, Food Processing Plants, Golf/Country Clubs, Government Buildings, Grocery Stores, Hotels, Manufacturing Plants, Nursing Homes, Office Buildings / Campuses, Radio Stations, Refrigerated Warehouses, Resorts, Restaurants, Schools, Server Farms, Shopping Centers, Supermarkets, Television Stations, Theatres and Military Bases.

At about 86% to 93% net system efficiency, our cogeneration and trigeneration energy systems are about 300% more efficient at providing energy than your current electric utility. That's because the typical electric utility's "central power plants" are only about 33% efficient - they waste 2/3 of the fuel in generating electricity in the enormous amount of waste heat energy that they exhaust through their smokestacks.

Trigeneration is defined as the simultaneous production of three energies: Cooling, Heating and Power.  Our trigeneration energy systems use the same amount of fuel in producing three energies that would normally only produce just one type of energy. This means our customers that have our trigeneration power plants have significantly lower energy expenses, and a lower carbon footprint.

Our cogeneration and trigeneration energy systems can be an ideal solution for customers wanting increased power reliability and decreased energy and environmental costs.  A few of the types of businesses, facilities and operations that might benefit from our cogeneration and trigeneration energy system(s) include the following:

• Airports

• Casinos

• Central Plants

• Colleges & Universities

• Dairies

• Data Centers 

• District Heating & Cooling plants

• Food Processing Plants

• Golf/Country Clubs

• Government Buildings and Facilities 

• Grocery Stores

• Hospitals 

• Hotels

• Manufacturing Plants

• Military Bases

• Nursing Homes 

• Office Buildings / Campuses

• Radio Stations

• Refrigerated Warehouses 

• Resorts 

• Restaurants 

• Schools

• Server Farms

• Shopping centers 

• Supermarkets 

• Television Stations

• Theatres

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Waste Heat Recovery in Cogeneration and 
Trigeneration power and energy systems

In most cogeneration and trigeneration power and energy systems, the exhaust gas from the electric generation equipment is ducted to a heat exchanger to recover the thermal energy in the gas. These heat exchangers are air-to-water heat exchangers, where the exhaust gas flows over some form of tube and fin heat exchange surface and the heat from the exhaust gas is transferred to make hot water or steam. The hot water or steam is then used to provide hot water or steam heating and/or to operate thermally activated equipment, such as an absorption chiller for cooling or a desiccant dehumidifer for dehumidification.

Many of the waste heat recovery technologies used in building co/trigeneration systems require hot water, some at moderate pressures of 15 to 150 psig. In the cases where additional steam or pressurized hot water is needed, it may be necessary to provide supplemental heat to the exhaust gas with a duct burner.

In some applications air-to-air heat exchangers can be used. In other instances, if the emissions from the generation equipment are low enough, such as is with many of the microturbine technologies, the hot exhaust gases can be mixed with make-up air and vented directly into the heating system for building heating.

In the majority of installations, a flapper damper or "diverter" is employed to vary flow across the heat transfer surfaces of the heat exchanger to maintain a specific design temperature of the hot water or steam generation rate.

Typical Waste Heat Recovery Installation

In some co/trigeneration designs, the exhaust gases can be used to activate a thermal wheel or a desiccant dehumidifier. Thermal wheels use the exhaust gas to heat a wheel with a medium that absorbs the heat and then transfers the heat when the wheel is rotated into the incoming airflow.

A professional engineer should be involved in designing and sizing of the waste heat recovery section. For a proper and economical operation, the design of the heat recovery section involves consideration of many related factors, such as the thermal capacity of the exhaust gases, the exhaust flow rate, the sizing and type of heat exchanger, and the desired parameters over a various range of operating conditions of the co/trigeneration system — all of which need to be considered for proper and economical operation.

The Market and Potential for Waste Heat Recovery technologies and solutions

There are more than 500,000 smokestacks in the U.S. that are "wasting" heat, an untapped resource that can be converted to energy with Waste Heat Recovery technologies.

About 10% of these 500,000 smokestacks represent about 75% of the available wasted heat which has a stack gas exit temperature above 500 degrees F. which could generate approximately 50,000 megawatts of electricity annually and an annual market of over $75 billion in gross revenues before tax incentives and greenhouse gas emissions credits.

Waste Heat Recovery technologies represent the least cost solution which provides the greatest return on investment, than any other possible green energy technology or "carbon free energy" opportunity!

For more information on Waste Heat Recovery and Waste Heat Boilers, call/email us.

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What is an Energy Master Plan?

Now that greenhouse gas reporting is a vital and urgent issue for thousands of business in the U.S., and as they will now have to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA, our Energy Master Plan format has been changed to address these concerns for all of the businesses we perform energy master planning services for.

Our energy master planning services are also focused in a broader focus as well for our customers interested in sustainable energy solutions for reducing their carbon footprint, fossil fuel intensity, total energy expenses, potential for blackouts as well as their overall vulnerabilities to being "tied" to their specific electric utility.  Our energy master planning services also improve the air quality and work environment for all of our client's stakeholders through our focus on triple bottom-line results. 

Our energy master planning services are not solely focused on our client's facilities' "demand side" of the energy equation, but also how our client's energy is acquired and purchased on their supply side.  This understanding that supply and demand side planning is equally important enabled a holistic review of how CUMC uses and pays for energy and the impact of these sources on the environment. 

Our energy master plan begins with a review of our client's past three years electricity, natural gas, oil, waste and water expenditures and depending on the final requirements and project scope authorized by the client, will typically include; 

• Perform ASHRAE " Level 2" Energy Audit

• Perform a "retro" commissioning study

• Provide a "benchmark" of client's energy use and their greenhouse gas emissions

• Identify automated demand response, demand side management and demand side response opportunities

• Review client's current energy procurement methods and develop new strategies for reducing energy expenses

• Identify opportunities for onsite power generation, including cogeneration, ecogeneration or trigeneration energy systems as well as renewable energy technologies such as;  Distributed PV, Solar Cogeneration and Waste to Fuel

• Review existing Power Purchase Agreements and all other energy agreements/contracts.

• Identify external funding opportunities such as the use of Power Purchase Agreements

• Identify opportunities for "fuel switching" or energy switching such as propane to natural gas and "cutting the cord" to the client's electric utility for an onsite power generation energy system.

• Identify current energy management system and/or building automation system potential

• Identify LEED opportunities

• Identify Smart Metering, Micro-Grid and Unified Smart Grid opportunities

What is a Biogas Plant?

To understand what a biogas plant is, we must first define what biogas is. 

What is Biogas?

Biogas is the "crude methane" that is generated from landfills (landfill gas) or from anaerobic digesters (also called "methane digesters").  In both landfills and anaerobic digesters, the biogas is generated without oxygen, hence the name, "anaerobic." 

A "biogas plant" refers to having one or more "anaerobic digesters" at a facility that is treating/processing; agricultural waste, bakery waste, brewery waste, food waste, manure, and sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants (publicly owned treatment plant - POTW).

It should be pointed out that the biogas or "crude methane" generated from anaerobic digesters has zero value and cannot be used as a fuel, or sold to a gas company.  This is due to the fact that the biogas produced from the anaerobic digesters contains a large number of contaminants including H2S, siloxanes, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.  If used as a fuel in an engine or turbine, the engine or turbine would quickly fail.  So, the crude biogas, must be cleaned to "pipeline quality gas" through the use of "natural gas treating" equipment, also referred to as "biogas to biomethane" equipment, that upgrades the biogas into biomethane, which is then a useful product that can be sold as pipeline quality gas or used as a fuel in engines or turbines.

What is Methane Recovery?

Methane Recovery (and Biogas Recovery) is the process of recovering methane, also referred to as natural gas or CH4.  

Biogas, a "crude" form of methane, can be recovered from a number of facilities and locations, including;  dairy farms, landfills wastewater treatment plants using Anaerobic Digesters and cleaned up to "pipeline quality gas" with "biogas to biomethane" equipment.

What is Gas Processing?

Natural Gas Processing plants separate the various hydrocarbons and natural gas liquids from the pure natural gas (methane or CH4) to produce what is known as 'pipeline quality' natural gas. Natural gas pipeline companies have requirements on natural gas they buy from producers which is why the natural gas processing plants are located where they are, and why they separate the ethane, propane, butane, and pentanes from the methane. Natural gas liquids or NGLs include ethane, propane, butane, iso-butane, and natural gasoline.

What is Syngas Cleanup?

The synthesis gas (syngas) produced from biomass gasification and plasma gasification plants contains a wide and varying number of pollutants and contaminants before the synthesis gas can be used as a "fuel gas."  These pollutants and contaminants include;

• ammonia

• chlorides

• fine particulates

• heavy metals (trace amounts) 

• mercury

• sulfur

To meet environmental emission regulations, as well as to protect downstream processes, the owner/operator of biomass gasification and plasma gasification plants must insure these are removed in a "syngas cleanup" process.  

Depending on the application, the synthesis gas may also require "conditioning" to adjust the hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide (H2-to-CO) ratio to meet downstream process requirements.  

In applications where very low sulfur (<10 ppmv) synthesis gas is required, converting the carbonyl sulfide (COS) to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) before sulfur removal may also be required. 

Typical syngas cleanup and conditioning processes include; 

• acid gas removal (AGR) for extracting sulfur-bearing gases and CO2 removal.

• ammonia and chlorides 

• catalytic hydrolysis for converting COS to H2S

• cyclone and filters for bulk particulates removal 

• solid absorbents for mercury and trace heavy metal removal 

• water gas shift (WGS) for H2-to-CO ratio adjustment

• wet scrubbing to remove fine particulates

Fine Particulate Removal 

The synthesis gas leaving today’s biomass gasification plants and tomorrow's plasma gasification plants is normally quenched and scrubbed with water in a trayed column for fine char and ash particulate removal prior to recycle to the slurry-fed biomass gasifiers.

For dry feed biomass gasification, cyclones and candle filters are used to recover most of the fine particulate for recycle to the biomass gasifiers before final cleanup with water quenching and scrubbing. In addition, fine particulates, chlorides, ammonia, some H2S, and other trace contaminants are also removed from the synthesis gas during the scrubbing process. The "scrubbed" synthesis gas is then either reheated for COS hydrolysis and/or a sour WGS when required, or cooled in the low temperature gas cooling (LTGC) system by generating low pressure steam, preheating boiler feed water, and heat exchanged with cooling water before further processing. 

Spent water from the scrubber column is directed to the sour water treatment system, where it is depressurized and decanted in a gravity settler to remove fine particulates. Solid-concentrated underflows from the settler bottom are filtered to recover the fine particulate as the filter cake, which is then either discarded or recycled to the biomass gasifiers depending on its carbon content. Water from the settler is recycled for biomass gasification uses with the excess being sent to the wastewater treatment system for disposal. 

COS Hydrolysis and Water-Gas-Shift 

Most of the sulfur in the coal is converted to H2S during the biomass gasification process. Depending on the specific biomass gasification temperature and moisture content, approximately 3 to 10% of the sulfur is converted to COS. To generate low sulfur synthesis gas, the COS in the product gas needs to be converted to H2S before sulfur removal via current commercial AGR processes. This is done by passing the synthesis gas from the water scrubber through a catalytic hydrolysis reactor where over 99% of the COS is converted to H2S. The scrubbed synthesis gas feed is normally re-heated to 30 to 50 °F above saturation to avoid catalyst damage by liquid water. 

In applications where a high synthesis gas H2-to-CO ratio is needed, synthesis gas from the water scrubber is passed through a multi-stage reactor containing sulfur-tolerant shift catalysts to convert CO and water into additional H2 and CO2. Normally, excess moisture is present in the scrubber synthesis gas from slurry-fed gasifiers to drive the shift reaction to achieve the required H2-to-CO ratio. For most slurry-fed biomass gasification systems, a portion of the synthesis gas feed may need to be bypassed around the sour shift reactor to avoid exceeding the required product H2-to-CO ratio. Depending on the gasification process and the required H2-to-CO ratio, additional steam injection before the sour shift may be needed for dry-fed biomass gasifiers. The scrubber synthesis gas feed is normally re-heated to 30 to 50 °F above saturation to avoid catalyst damage by liquid water.  Shifted synthesis gas is cooled in the LTGC system by generating low pressure steam, preheating boiler feed water, and heat exchanging it against cooling water before going through the AGR system for sulfur removal.

Mercury and Trace Elements
 
Current commercial practice is to pass cooled synthesis gas from LTGC through sulfided, activated carbon beds to remove over 90% of the mercury and a significant amount of other heavy metal contaminants. Due to the sulfur in the activated carbon, these beds are normally placed ahead of the AGR system to minimize the possibility of sulfur slipping back into and contaminating the cleaned synthesis gas.

Acid Gas Removal (AGR) 

Raw synthesis gas exiting the particulate removal and gas conditioning systems, typically near ambient temperature at 100°F, is routed to the AGR system where H2S removal and CO2 removal from the synthesis gas occurs using either physical or chemical solvent absorption. For chemical synthesis applications which require synthesis gas with less than 1 ppmv sulfur, physical solvent processes such as Rectisol and Selexol are normally used. For power generation applications, which allow higher sulfur levels (approximately 10 to 30 ppmv sulfur), chemical solvent processes such as Methyl diethanolamine (MDEA) and Sulfinol are normally used. The physical solvent absorption processes operate under cryogenic temperatures while the chemical solvent absorption processes operate slightly above ambient temperature. 

In both physical and chemical absorption processes, the synthesis gas is washed with lean solvent in the absorber for H2S removal.  Cleaned synthesis gas from the Acid Gas Removal process is then sent to downstream systems for further processing. Rich solvent leaving the bottom of the absorber is sent to the regenerator, where the solvent is stripped with steam under low pressure to remove the absorbed sulfur. The concentrated acid gas stream exits the top of the stripper and is sent to the Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) for sulfur recovery. The regenerated lean solvent from the bottom of the stripper is cooled by a heat exchanger against the rich solvent, followed by water cooling before being sent back to the absorber to start the absorption process again. The physical solvent processes tend to co-absorb more CO2 than MDEA. Multiple step depressurization of the rich solvent, supplemented with nitrogen stripping, is employed by the physical solvent processes to reject sufficient CO2 to concentrate the acid gas from the regenerator overhead to at least 15 to 25 Vol% H2S in order to feed the Claus SRU.

Because of the need for refrigeration, as well as more complex solution flashing arrangements, physical solvent processes are two to four times more costly than MDEA-based chemical solvent processes. While the physical solvent processes have higher power consumption than the chemical solvent processes, the chemical processes have higher steam consumption which translates to reduced power output from the power train. Thus overall net power output may be similar between the two types of AGR processes.

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Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Since the year 1750

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World CO2 since 1750 (cubic feet)

World Carbon Dioxide Emissions since 1750 (cubic feet)

The carbon clock tracks total carbon dioxide emissions in metric tons since 1750.

Since 1750, humans have emitted over 5 trillion pounds of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Roughly half of this has ended up in the oceans where it is beginning to damage the coral reefs. The other half is still in the atmosphere and causing global warming. Each pound of CO2 takes up as much space as a 500 pound person.

The formula (which should be good for a year or two) is:
C(t) = 2.58 ×1012 + 1240×t, where t is seconds since the start of 2007.

C is tonnes (metric tons) of carbon dioxide emissions.
2205 x C gives pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.

That comes to over 43 billion tons/year or over 86 trillion pounds/year.

Carbon dioxide (2) = 1 carbon atom with 2 oxygen atoms.
Carbon has relative weight 12 and Oxygen 16.
So it takes only 12 pounds of carbon to make 12+16+16 = 44 pounds of CO2. 

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Photo courtesy of Alaska Image Library. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Renewable Energy Institute Supports:

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What are "Carbon Dioxide Emissions"?

"Carbon Dioxide Emissions," also referred to as "CO2 Emissions and "Carbon Emissions" are one of the six major greenhouse gas emissions that most scientists and climatologists state are the primary reasons why the earth's climate is; warming/cooling/changing.

Technically speaking, the correct term is "Carbon Dioxide Emissions" and NOT "Carbon Emissions."  In today's fast-paced news world and need to get information out quickly, the term Carbon Dioxide Emissions has been shortened to "Carbon Emissions."

According to the EPA, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, or "Carbon Emissions" or simply "CO2," are generated in a number of ways. Carbon Dioxide Emissions are produced naturally through the carbon cycle and through human activities like the burning of fossil fuels.

Natural sources of CO2 occur within the carbon cycle where billions of tons of atmospheric CO2 are removed from the atmosphere by oceans and growing plants, also known as ‘sinks,’ and are emitted back into the atmosphere annually through natural processes also known as ‘sources.’ When in balance, the total carbon dioxide emissions and removals from the entire carbon cycle are roughly equal.

Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1700’s, when atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide were 280 ppm, human activities - also referred to as "anthropogenic" - including the use and burning of fossil fuels including oil, coal and gas, as well as  deforestation, have increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere to 390 ppm.

In 2005, global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxides were 35% higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions are responsible for about 80% of the problems related to Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions and carbon dioxide are one of the six anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• methane and Biomethane

• nitrous oxide

• hydrofluorocarbons

• perfluorocarbons

• sulfur hexafluoride

that will be significantly reduced or eliminated via the global agreements under the Kyoto Protocol and new legislation in the U.S. under the pending "Cap and Trade" regulations in an effort to prevent climate change.

NO FOREIGN OIL!

Foreign Oil is responsible for a significant number of problems facing the USA as well as the rest of the world. 

The Renewable Energy Institute recognizes we cannot immediately end the use of fossil fuel, but as a first step to a sustainable and renewable energy future, we CAN and MUST stop buying and importing foreign oil (except from Canada) or, alternatively, enact a foreign oil tax with 100% of the tax revenues used for building and deploying the renewable energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Support Clean Energy!

In the case of a foreign oil tax, the Renewable Energy Institute suggests a first year foreign oil tax at $10/bbl on every barrel of oil from foreign countries (except oil from Canada).

All of the tax receipts from foreign oil will go directly to cities and areas that are presently in the EPA's "non-attainment" due to pollution caused by fossil fuels. These cities and areas under EPA's non-attainment include; Houston/Galveston, Dallas and Los Angeles, among others.

The foreign oil tax revenues will be used for replacing fossil fuels with renewable fuels, as well as replacing gasoline and diesel vehicles with Plug-In Electric Vehicles, building the "unified smart grid" for PEVs, and increased use of decentralized energy, cogeneration and trigeneration power plants.

This method of utilizing the foreign oil tax revenues for replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy technologies will have the biggest and most effective impact on not only getting America off foreign oil, but also improving the air quality and health of the people living in the EPA's non-attainment areas. Simultaneously, bringing these EPA non-attainment areas into compliance, will help jump-start the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

What is Battery Energy Storage?

Battery Energy Storage, and Battery Energy Storage systems (BESS) use stored electrical power in batteries, and feed this energy to the electric grid (building, or facility) at times when it makes economic sense.  For a "Net Zero Energy" building or facility, a Solar Cogeneration, or Solar Trigeneration energy system is used that stores excess solar power in the Battery Energy Storage system during the daytime, for use when the sun goes down, and during inclement weather.

Battery Energy Storage is an ideal solution for utility-scale wind farms, particularly in Texas, when most of the renewable energy is generated at night when the power isn't needed.  

Battery Energy Storage is also an ideal demand side management or load leveling solution.

A new Net Zero Energy building to be built in Austin, Texas will feature a solar cogeneration system that is integrated with a Battery Energy Storage system - storing excess energy generated during the daytime for use after the sun sets and during periods of inclement weather. The owners are presently considering a "grid free energy" (building will be off the grid - not connected to the electric grid) solution as well as Platinum LEED certification for their new commercial building.

What are Energy Storage Systems?

Energy storage systems represent one of the most exciting new areas of research and development in the energy industry.  
As the energy, renewable energy and electric utility industries move toward a "smart grid," and with more and more renewable energy being generated and placed on the grid, energy storage systems are a vital "missing link" in the smart grid's evolution. 

Particularly with more and more renewable energy coming online.  

Renewable energy in the form of wind and solar is generated on an intermittent basis, for wind, only when the wind blows, and for sun, only when the sun shines. Renewable energy is not always available when it is needed. Energy storage systems will overcome this problem, making both renewable energy and electricity generated available when it's needed. 

What are Flywheel Energy Storage systems?

Flywheel Energy Storage systems act as mechanical batteries that store power kinetically in the form of a rotating mass, or "flywheel."

When the grid goes down, the power stored by the rotating flywheel is converted to electrical energy through the flywheel’s integrated electric generator. The system provides the DC energy to the Uninterruptible Power Supplies system until grid power is restored or the facility's back-up power generator can be started. Once either the utility is restored or the genset provides power to the input of the Uninterruptible Power Supplies, the Flywheel Energy Storage system will be re-charged by taking some current from the DC bus of the Flywheel Energy Storage until it is back up to full speed.

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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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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!

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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."

For more information, call or email:

American Energy Plan
www.AmericanEnergyPlan.com

Energy Master Plans
www.EnergyMasterPlan.com

Wind Power Generation
www.WindPowerGeneration.com

Zero Emission Energy
www.ZeroEmissionEnergy.com

Zero Emission Power
www.ZeroEmissionPower.com

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Research and Development by the Renewable Energy Institute

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