Carbon Dioxide Negative
A “Carbon Dioxide Negative” Project
for Western Massachusetts
The need to produce energy from other than fossil fuel sources and to
reduce adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere has been
documented. The Step-It-Up group in Belchertown, MA is conducting a
project with three-fold advantages:
♦ It will utilize renewable agricultural sources (waste wood,
grasses, etc.) which will remove CO2 from the air by
photosynthesis.
♦ A controlled amount of this will be used to generate power, but
most will be converted to “:bio-char”, an inert form of carbon which
is not returned to the atmosphere.
♦ This bio-char is being mixed with fertilizer and added to soil where
it has been shown to benefit agriculture.
By this means, CO2 from the air is converted to an inert form of solid
carbon, which is believed to remain in the soil for an extended time period.
No external source of energy is needed and there is the possibility for
generating additional power usable for cogeneration. There should be a
benefit to the environment, an aid to agriculture, and a benefit to the
Massachusetts economy with no great “up front” cost.
Test agricultural plots are currently testing this technique. It is proposed
that a joint effort be carried out to expand this effort, at first in Western
Massachusetts, but then, if successful to more extended regions.
Support of the order of $200,000 to $500,000 is needed to establish a
regional effort.
For the Step-It-Up group, led by Dr. Alan Page, Belchertown,
Richard S, Stein
Goessmann Professopr of Chemistry, Emeritus
University of Massachusetts,. Amherst
413-549-0245
stein@ecs.umass.edu
for Western Massachusetts
The need to produce energy from other than fossil fuel sources and to
reduce adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere has been
documented. The Step-It-Up group in Belchertown, MA is conducting a
project with three-fold advantages:
♦ It will utilize renewable agricultural sources (waste wood,
grasses, etc.) which will remove CO2 from the air by
photosynthesis.
♦ A controlled amount of this will be used to generate power, but
most will be converted to “:bio-char”, an inert form of carbon which
is not returned to the atmosphere.
♦ This bio-char is being mixed with fertilizer and added to soil where
it has been shown to benefit agriculture.
By this means, CO2 from the air is converted to an inert form of solid
carbon, which is believed to remain in the soil for an extended time period.
No external source of energy is needed and there is the possibility for
generating additional power usable for cogeneration. There should be a
benefit to the environment, an aid to agriculture, and a benefit to the
Massachusetts economy with no great “up front” cost.
Test agricultural plots are currently testing this technique. It is proposed
that a joint effort be carried out to expand this effort, at first in Western
Massachusetts, but then, if successful to more extended regions.
Support of the order of $200,000 to $500,000 is needed to establish a
regional effort.
For the Step-It-Up group, led by Dr. Alan Page, Belchertown,
Richard S, Stein
Goessmann Professopr of Chemistry, Emeritus
University of Massachusetts,. Amherst
413-549-0245
stein@ecs.umass.edu
Tags: CO2, biochar, biofuels, negative
Views: 0
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by SJC on -
We could go CO2 negative just by gasifying biomass to synthesis gas (CO and H2) then gas shifting the CO to CO2 and making more hydrogen, then sequestering the CO2. Plants are good CO2 absorbers and in the process we would get H2 to run fuel cells and turbines to create electricity for homes, industry and transportation.
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Permalink Reply by NKYCarbon on -
Gasifying biomass is good idea. However pyrolysis of biomass avoids some of the creation of CO2 and makes the carbon into a buriable form as a soil admendment (biochar).
Said another way gasification creates more syngas. Pyrolysis creates less syngas, some biooil, and biochar which could aid in the creation of more biomass.
Nothing can be said exactly without discussing the specfic biomass inputs. There is room for both.
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Permalink Reply by Colt Lewis on -
I am lost in this mess. Pyrolysis is the process used to gasify biomass. The conditions of the Pyrolysis (Partial or No Combustion) determine the quality of the syngas. The highest quality syngas would be carbon monoxide and hydrogen. I know there is ash left over but I was told this was non-organic. Maybe I am wrong, but this is what I have been taught in college.
I don't understand this bio oil stuff. I know bio oil can be made from the syngas, but isn't the result of gasification just that... Gas. I don't see how liquid would be able to survive in such hot conditions.
I would like to know more about how we can directly convert CO2 to organic fertilizer. What exactly is Biochar?
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Permalink Reply by Richard Stein on -
This is an alternative approach, but it does not produce biochar which is a good soil additive that promotes agriculture and the growth of more biomass. We must be concerned about soil conservation as well as of the atmosphere, and continued growth of biomass can lead to soil depletion. Also, addition of biochar to soil reduces fertilizer need and the energy required to make it as well as decreasing run-off leading to deterioration of lakes and rivers. It is also thought that emission of greenhouse gases of nitrogen oxides is reduced.
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