Is Thermal Depolymerization oil (from bio-waste) still $80/barrel?

[papau]

As of February, 2005, the Carthage plant received an economic setback. It was thought that concern over mad cow disease would prevent the use of turkey waste as cattle feed, and thus this waste would be free. However, turkey waste is still used as feed, so the feed stock costs from $30 to $40 per ton, adding $15 to $20 per barrel to the cost of the oil. Final cost is $80 a barrel, making it uneconomic compared to conventional diesel selling for about $50 a barrel

Thermal Conversion Process (TCP) -Thermal Depolymerization.
http://www.answers.com/topic/thermal-depolymerization
http://www.eh.doe.gov/nepa/ea/EA1506/appendixA.pdf
http://www.discover.com/may_03/featoil.html
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/4/24/02152/3927
http://www.changingworldtech.com/
http://www.changingworldtech.com/information_center/press_releases.asp?id=9

Promising Renewable Energy Source Excluded from New York State Retail Renewable Portfolio Standard
Keyspan Advocates for Thermal Conversion Process 6.30.2004
Julie Gross Gelfand
HLD/Blankman Public Relations
[phone]

West Hempstead, NY, June 30, 2004 -- A technology hailed by the scientific community as one of the most promising new sources of renewable energy in the world today has been excluded from New York State's proposed Retail Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), a guideline designed to increase to 25% the amount of electricity purchased in the state that is generated from renewable sources. KeySpan Corporation, one of the state's largest utilities, has appealed for a broader definition of eligible renewable energy sources, to include the organic process developed by Changing World Technologies (CWT) to produce a sustainable source of high grade oil and natural gas from agricultural residue and animal waste.

The New York State Public Service Commission released its Recommended Decision (RD) defining eligibility for RPS on June 3. Eligible under the RD are wood-based sources of biomass; as well as biogas derived from landfills, sewage and manure digestion; fuel cells; and hydroelectric, solar, tidal and wind sources. Absent from the list are plant, animal and landfill-based sources of renewable, carbon-neutral biomass.

In its brief, KeySpan states: "Agricultural and animal waste are viable biomass sources, and the process developed by CWT is environmentally benign and carbon-neutral… The exclusion of animal waste and other organic materials as eligible biomass sources appears arbitrary in light of the fact that animal and other organic waste, unless otherwise disposed of, will end up in landfills, and landfill gas is eligible for main-tier incentives. There is also an inconsistency in that animal manure is an eligible biomass source, but offal is not… broadening the definition of eligible biomass sources to include offal and other organic waste, the Commission will increase the likelihood of meeting the RPS targets and improving the state's economic and energy security."

Scientific Support In December 2003, Scientific American magazine named Changing World Technologies the most important energy company in America, as part of its annual Scientific American 50 issue. The Scientific American 50 recognizes the “singular accomplishments of those who have contributed to the advancement of technology in the realms of science, engineering, commerce and public policy.”

Other scientific journals, from Discover magazine to Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Technology Review, have also hailed CWT’s technology – called Thermal Conversion Process (TCP) -- as one of the most important new sources in sustainable energy development.

Discover reports in its July 2004 issue, “Out of 100 Btus in a given unit of feedstock, only 15 Btus are used to power the process, with the remainder residing in oil, gas and chemicals. Most important, the oil produced in these tests easily meets the specifications for diesel fuel.”

About TCP CWT's Thermal Conversion Process is a method of reforming organic waste into a high-value energy resource, without hazardous emissions to the environment. The first refinery utilizing TCP to produce and sell oil commercially commenced operation in Carthage, Mo., in May under a joint venture between CWT and ConAgra Foods.

Because TCP utilizes above-ground waste streams to produce a new energy source, it also has the potential to arrest global warming by reducing the use of fossil fuels, and to create a means of energy independence by reducing U.S. reliance on imported oil.

TCP succeeds in breaking down long chains of organic polymers into their smallest units and reforming them into new combinations to produce clean solid, liquid and gaseous alternative fuels and specialty chemicals. The process emulates the earth’s natural geothermal activity, whereby organic material is converted into fossil fuel under conditions of extreme heat and pressure over millions of years. It mimics the earth’s system by using pipes and controlling temperature and pressure to reduce the bio-remediation process from millions of years to mere hours.

The process entails five steps: (1) Pulping and slurrying the organic feed with water. (2) Heating the slurry under pressure to the desired temperature. (3) Flashing the slurry to a lower pressure to separate the mixture. (4) Heating the slurry again (coking) to drive off water and produce light hydrocarbons. (5) Separating the end products.

TCP is more than 80% energy efficient. In addition, it generates its own energy to power the system, and uses the steam naturally created by the process to heat incoming feedstock. In addition, TCP produces no emissions and no secondary hazardous waste streams.

Said Brian Appel, Chairman and CEO of Changing World Technologies, "New York State is one of the largest importers of foreign oil in the U.S. New York should have a vested interest in supporting the RPS eligibility of a sustainable domestic energy source that meets every criteria for environmental responsibility. The Biomass Eligibility working group, which formulated the definition of eligible renewable sources in this category, was dominated by special interests that excluded every viable and environmentally responsible biomass source other than wood. The Public Service Commission still has an opportunity to broaden the definition to be more inclusive, and we are hopeful they will make the right decision."

[MindPilot]

1. if this country had an energy policy

that was more insightful than drill, drill, burn and kill, the government would be subsidising this until it can be ommercially viable.

[Warpy]

2. They need to do this at landfills

something that would bring the cost down considerably.

My guess is that turkey plants have been under pressure to sell their waste as feed and have had a lot of money waved under their noses to do so.

TDP is a threat to oilmen, you see, as it is cheaper to set up and get going than some of the exploration they're doing under sea and certainly some of the processes to extract oil from shale. It's a competing technology, and they'll try to stop it any way they can.

TDP is also a technology that will be an essential part of any transition to a non oil economy. A benefit will be the cleanup of all those leaky landfills out there.

[papau]

3. I agree - it looks like win-win .... but Dept of Energy does not push it

and mass media ignores it

:-(

[satya]

4. 175 lb waste = 38 lb oil, 7 lb gas, 7 lb minerals, 123 lb sterilized water

According to May 2003 Discover Magazine article (sorry, no link).

The minerals can be used in specialized manufacturing processes or in fertilizers. Plus you've now got a method for disposing of organic waste such as sewage sludge.

The oil cartel just doesn't want to see any renewable sources of energy, because then they'll be unable to corner the market. It seems to be a viable energy source in Switzerland (known as Kompogas).
http://www.icehouse.net/pjals/handful/0404/ar8.html
http://www.ieabioenergy.com/library/174_BioenergyNews16.1.PDF

Additional info:
Changing World Technologies
Turning Garbage into Oil—and Cash

[Massacure]

6. That is assuming you put a human into it.

I hope we don't end up doing that. :P

What you get depends on what you put in it. I bet certains types of algae would give a ton of oil though.

[satya]

7. LOL at myself for that unintentionally misleading post. Thanks. nt

[Cicero]

8. Soylent Green is people!!!!

Actually, this could be a solution to the fact that cemeteries are all filling up rapidly. Instead of burying or cremating Granpaw, render him down and use the gas to drive the family to Disneyworld!!!!

...

Yeah, I guess I'm going to hell when I die. :shrug:

Later,

[satya]

5. Nominated--we need to get the word out..TDP solves so many problems.