Re: GAS-L: Government gasifier projects...

[BronzeoakC@aol.com]

Dear Tom,
I read your e-mail with interest.
Do you have any more specific information about the pelletizing of bagasse in Brazil? Or can you suggest where I can find it? We are working on a bagasse cogen in the Philippines and need a way to provide biomass fuel during the out-of-season period. 
Best regards
David Walden
Bronzeoak Corp.


In a message dated Sat, 3 Aug 2002 5:13:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, tombreed@attbi.com writes:

> 
>   Subj:  GAS-L: Government gasifier projects...
>   Date:  Sat, 3 Aug 2002 5:13:03 PM Eastern Standard Time
>   From:  "Tom Reed" <tombreed@attbi.com>
>   To:  "Tom Miles" <tmiles@trmiles.com>, "AJH" <andrew.heggie@dtn.ntl.com>, <gasification@crest.org>, "Stoves" <Stoves@crest.org>
>   Reply-To:  "Tom Reed" <tombreed@attbi.com>
>   Sent from the Internet (Details)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Tom, Andrew et al:
> 
> I'm glad Tom Miles could counter my overgeneralized blackwash of Government
> projects.  I have been involved in a few and learned a lot and hope I am
> passing it on as much as possible.
> 
> The Hawaii project in particular grated on me because it went through
> several phases before any money was spent.  In its initial phase (about
> 1986) it was meant to be a "Methanol from Biomass" project which I applauded
> and still applaud.  Congress set aside $5 M in matching funds.  It was
> rumoured to be "prewired" for the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) gasifier
> in Chicago.  Our (SynGas Inc.) 40 page proposal from SynGas for a
> pressurized fixed bed oxygen gasifier was rejected immediately, even though
> we had been operating a one ton unit for  4-5 years at the Solar Energy
> Research Institute.
> 
> This first phase faded when IGT's matching funds proved vaporous.  The money
> must have been underground because it resurfaced about 1992 (?) in similar
> form, a METHANOL FROM BIOMASS project.  I remember sending an objecting
> letter to the DOE that the IGT gasifier was not very suitable because it
> made a gas high in hydrocarbons which would have to be reformed to a syngas,
> while other gasifiers (oxygen in particular) make a gas that is primarily CO
> and H2 and would require much less conditioning.
> 
> The Hawaii project was crippled by working with one of the world's most
> difficult feeding fuels - raw bagasse from sugar cane.  Tom could tell you
> the details, but it chewed up a million dollars worth of feeders.  And
> probably $50 M worth of development time and much talent over 12 years.
> 
> ~~~~~~
> In several ways bagasse is a very attractive energy source.  Every sugar
> plant is a potential source of biomass or power and Winrock is busy helping
> to convert low pressure sugar mills to high pressure "power plants/sugar
> mills" around the world.
> 
> If you densify bagasse (piece of cake) it makes one of the nicest biomass
> fuels, well washed and very dense.  Pellets were selling in Brazil for <
> $10/ton last year and I have been working with a group heading toward
> methanol.  They are ready to start testing on their phase II gasifier in a
> month or two.  The pellets would be suitable for a coal type lock hoppers -
> proven technology.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> On the other hand I have been involved in a lot of Small Business Innovation
> Grant projects and they seem to do very well.  Industry is not usually in a
> position to test new ideas, so SBIRs provide a Phase I II 
> III stage to
> bringing them to fruition.
> 
> Yours truly,                                TOM REED
> BEF GASWORKS



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