Analysis shows that there is enough land on Earth to grow food and fuel as well, if the crop has high productivity (yeld) – for use in liquid biofuels and for direct combustion. Direct combustion of biomass allows 24h electricity generation – Solar energy only when the sun shines and Wind energy only when the wind blows…
GIANT KING GRASS
ü Non-food feedstock for low carbon liquid biofuels for transportation including cellulosic ethanol
ü Low carbon biomass replacement for coal in electric power plants.
ü Feedstock for bio-methane production
NONFOOD BIOFUELS
Liquid Biofuels for transportation
ü Gasoline replacement from nonfood cellulosic feedstock’s including dedicated energy crops such as fast-growing grasses and agricultural waste like bagasse, corn stalks, wheat straw and wood chips.
ü Bio-diesel from Jatropha, palm oil, algae, grass etc.
BIOMASS FOR DIRECT COMBUSTION IN AN ELECTRIC POWER PLANT
ü Agricultural waste
ü Dedicated, fast-growing energy crops such as grass or trees
ADVANTAGES OF GIANT KING GRASS
Supports China´s national priorities
ü Renewable and locally produced non-food energy
ü Cleaner environment with reduced carbon emissions
ü Improved agriculture to feed the population
Fast growth produces much higher yield per hector of land
ü Much higher productivity than switchgrass or miscanthus or food crops
ü Land can support both food and fuel needs
ü Can grow on marginal lands as well
PROVIDES MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES – FEEDSTOCK FOR LIQUID BIOFUELS, AS COAL REPLACEMENT FO ELECTRICITY GENERATION, RENEWABLE METHANE AND ANIMAL FEED.
ADVANTAGES OF GIANT KING GRASS.
ü Rapid growth to 4 Meters height
ü Very high productivity – up to 350 Tones/hectare (wet)
ü Perennial grass with 7 year life
ü Best in tropical and subtropical areas.
- 4 or more harvests per year possible
- Little growth below 10ºC, frost will kill tops, roots can survive
ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED AS FEED FOR COWS, SHEEP, PIGS, FOWL AND FISH
· Suitable as fresh grass, silage or dried and processed into meal
Giant King Grass
· Natural hybrid of Pennisetum Purpureum (also known as Elephant grass or Napier grass)
ü Not Genetically Modified
· Widely adaptive and stress resistant
· Modest need for fertilizer
· No pesticide needed in most cases
· Suitable for wide range of soils including acidic red loam and mildly saline soil
· Can be planted on dry lands, paddy fields, hillsides, plains
· Needs more than 100days of sunshine per year, 800mm rain or irrigation
· Propagated by division or seedlings
GRASSOLINE
üGRASSOLINE – a new term for renewable, low carbon liquid biofuels made from grass.
- EXAMPLES – Cellulosic ethanol, methanol and green gasoline
DOES NOT USE FOOD CROPS SUCH AS CORN FOR ITS PRODUCTION
- Does not cause high food prices and resulting world hunger
NOTE: In 2008 one third of the US corn crop was used to make ethanol.
CO-FIRING COAL AND BIOMASS
ü An existing coal-fired electrical power plant can be modified to burn biomass instead of coal for up to 30% of its fuel
- Grass, wood or other agricultural products
ü Carbon dioxide smokestack emissions are the same as 100% coal, but the next crop of grass adsorbs the carbon dioxide emitted from the burned grass as it grows.
ü Simplest and fastest way to partially clean up coal power plants and introduce renewable biomass fuels on a large scale
- Converting existing coal power plants, compared to building new plants.
TREND TO 100% BIOMASS POWER PLANTS
· FirstEnergy in Ohio, USA is converting an old coal-fired power plant to 100% biomass
- Preferable to upgrading the emissions controls of the coal or converting to natural gas
· DRAGON POWER IN CHINA has built and operates 19-100% biomass power plants.
- 12 to 30 MW, operating on agricultural waste
- Benefits from China´s substantial subsidies for Biomass generated electricity
· BIOMASS POWER PLANTS ENCOURAGED IN INDIA
· BIOMASS CAN PROVIDE ELECTRICITY 24 HOURS A DAY
- Solar only when sunny, wind only when windy
- Agricultural waste such as corn straw, wheat straw and wood chips is currently used for fuel – however quantity and quality of agricultural waste varies with season
- Dedicated energy crops are desired for 50% or more of power plant fuel requirements – Reliable with consistent quality
GIANT KING GRASS AS DEDICATED ENERGY CROP
· 30MW grass-fired electricity generating plant needs 460 tones of grass every day
· Average household in Shanghai uses 1200 KWh/Year or average power of 0,14Kw (Average household in the US uses 11,200 KWh/year – 1,3KW)
· 30 MW plant can supply 214 000 Chinese households
· 30 MW power plant requires 1000-2200 hectares of land (using Giant King grass with yield of 350 Tonnes/hectare wet and 75-175 dry)
· One Hectare can provide electricity for 98-24 Chinese households
ROLE OF BIOMASS FOR ENERGY-SUMMARY
· Analysis shows that there is enough land on Earth to grow food and fuel as well if the crop has high productivity (Yield) – for use in liquid biofuels and for direct combustion
· Direct combustion of biomass allows 24 hour electricity generation – Solar energy only when the sun shines – Wind energy only when the wind blows
· Biomass together with solar, Wind, Kinetic and Ocean power can make a big contribution – all alternative fuels are currently more expensive than coal or oil and need government subsidies.