The world is increasingly aware of the potential of renewable energy to reduce any respective countries' dependence on fossil fuels, from both foreign and domestic sources, and decrease emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases and other pollutants. As a result, renewable energy technologies, particularly solar and wind power, are the fastest growing sources of electricity in the world.
Furthermore, environmental and security concerns have sparked increased interest in small-scale, “distributed” sources of renewable electricity generation like rooftop solar panels, to reduce our reliance on large, centralized power plants. However, individual homeowners and small business owners looking to invest in these new sources of energy often face bureaucratic red tape when trying to install their own small-scale, distributed renewable energy systems. The greatest barriers to distributed renewable energy systems in the world are not technical obstacles, but financial, political, and social hurdles.
System installers often face planners and building inspectors with little renewable energy experience and no formal education for certifying system safety and reliability. Complex permitting requirements and lengthy review processes can delay installations and add significant costs to distributed renewable energy systems. Permitting standards that vary across city and town borders create additional complications and inefficiencies. In many cases, these bureaucratic hurdles stymie efforts by homeowners and business owners to install systems and hinder the development of a national market for
distributed renewable energy.
GADBT's Position:
“ Distributed renewable energy systems” generate clean, renewable electricity on site, where that energy will be used. The term distributed generation distinguishes these systems from the large, centralized power plants that provide the vast majority of the nation’s power. Distributed renewable energy systems can take many forms, including geothermal systems, micro-hydroelectric systems, solar panels and wind turbines. There are many programs and policies that can either help or hinder the adoption and integration of distributed energy systems.
The Global Agriculture Development Business Trust has taken a giant step to initiate and harmonize the energy systems in Africa, Europe, and the entire world to enhance green energy across the globe on a venture contract basis.
LEARN MOREElectricity From Rice StrawBio-Energy To Electricity
View GalleryGlobal Leader In Renewable Energy IdeasPower From Agriculture Co-OpBiomass gasification is a process that involves the controlled combustion of biomass to produce combustible gases carrying Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2) and traces of Methane (CH4). This mixture, termed as Producer Gas, serves as an excellent fuel for electricity generation. There is a wide range of biomass available including rice husk, wood powder, rice straw, coconut shells etc.. The process of biomass gasification is a good alternative for economical and environmentally friendly power generation. Biomass gasification is carried out in plants called Gasifiers.
The technologies commercially available for converting rice straw to electricity are the same as those used for other types of agricultural waste.
Combustion: Boilers and steam turbines are commonly used for biomass power projects. The technology is well known and reliable. The characteristics of rice straw do present some challenges though. The straw alkalinity can cause accelerated corrosion in the boiler and the low melting point of the straw ash leads to slagging and fouling.
Where straw is concerned, combustion technology is mostly used for projects in the 10 to 20 MW range or even larger. This is possible in agricultural operations where there are vast quantities of straw available. For various reasons, presumably economic, there do not seem to be many manufacturers of equipment for the smaller, 1 to 2 MW type projects typically encountered in other parts of Asia.
Gasification: For smaller projects, gasification would seem to be an appropriate solution. As with boilers, straw alkalinity and slagging are matters of concern for gasifiers. In addition, operating the gasifier at the relatively lower temperatures required to prevent agglomeration of the ash results in a tarry, low quality, producer gas.
In Southeast Asia, biomass gasification projects have been based around updraft gasifiers supplied from China and India that can be described as “basic” and lack sophisticated controls. The gas produced is not sufficiently cleaned prior to use, necessitating frequent engine maintenance. As a result, these projects have historically experienced very low availability to the extent that they become commercially unviable. Decommissioned and abandoned biomass gasification equipment litters the countryside.
Pyrolysis: Because slow pyrolysis produces a liquid fuel, it avoids some of the problems associated with thermal gasification. This liquid pyrolysis oil cannot be utilized directly in an internal combustion engine-driven generator set however. Additionally, the moisture level of the straw must be kept quite low for good pyrolysis. Options for using or altering the pyrolysis oil are available but it would seem that this technology may best be considered a type of fuel pre-treatment as far as power generation from biomass is concerned.
Anaerobic Digestion: Biogas can power an internal combustion engine directly and this seems to be a viable small-scale option. The anaerobic digestion process requires that the straw be mixed with other substrates, typically some kind of animal manure, which tends to limit the size of the project.
Fuel PretreatmentIn other than some larger scale plants where bales of straw are fed directly to the boiler, rice straw requires some level of pretreatment prior to use. Normally this will involve chopping or grinding to reduce the particle size for more effective combustion or to assist in breaking down the lignin wall for anaerobic digestion. It frequently also involves drying and densification. Other processes, including the following, could further increase the quality of rice straw as a fuel.
Washing/Wet Storage: It has been demonstrated that leaving straw exposed to rain in the field before collection significantly reduces its alkalinity. The moisture content of the straw needs to be kept low though, for efficient combustion or gasification.
Wet storage of the biomass is another option for reducing the straw alkalinity. The leachate from the process must be collected for disposal or other use however. This technology is probably best used in conjunction with anaerobic digestion.
Torrefaction: Pre-treating the rice straw by torrefaction makes the biomass a much easier fuel to densify and burn or gasify. It also allows for more efficient storage and increases the possibility for mixing with other types of biomass.
FinallyWhile the technical difficulties in utilizing rice straw as a fuel for electricity production are considerable, they are not insurmountable. As with most agricultural waste, the biggest obstacles to overcome involve the collection, transportation and storage of the biomass. Getting farmers interested in taking the time and effort to collect the straw is a challenge. Furthermore, once the suppliers have a captive customer for the straw, the price of that straw will invariably increase. This is regardless of the terms of any fuel supply agreement. (credit: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com)
Furthermore, environmental and security concerns have sparked increased interest in small-scale, “distributed” sources of renewable electricity generation like rooftop solar panels, to reduce our reliance on large, centralized power plants. However, individual homeowners and small business owners looking to invest in these new sources of energy often face bureaucratic red tape when trying to install their own small-scale, distributed renewable energy systems. The greatest barriers to distributed renewable energy systems in the world are not technical obstacles, but financial, political, and social hurdles.
System installers often face planners and building inspectors with little renewable energy experience and no formal education for certifying system safety and reliability. Complex permitting requirements and lengthy review processes can delay installations and add significant costs to distributed renewable energy systems. Permitting standards that vary across city and town borders create additional complications and inefficiencies. In many cases, these bureaucratic hurdles stymie efforts by homeowners and business owners to install systems and hinder the development of a national market for
distributed renewable energy.
GADBT's Position:
“ Distributed renewable energy systems” generate clean, renewable electricity on site, where that energy will be used. The term distributed generation distinguishes these systems from the large, centralized power plants that provide the vast majority of the nation’s power. Distributed renewable energy systems can take many forms, including geothermal systems, micro-hydroelectric systems, solar panels and wind turbines. There are many programs and policies that can either help or hinder the adoption and integration of distributed energy systems.
The Global Agriculture Development Business Trust has taken a giant step to initiate and harmonize the energy systems in Africa, Europe, and the entire world to enhance green energy across the globe on a venture contract basis.
LEARN MOREElectricity From Rice StrawBio-Energy To Electricity
View GalleryGlobal Leader In Renewable Energy IdeasPower From Agriculture Co-OpBiomass gasification is a process that involves the controlled combustion of biomass to produce combustible gases carrying Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2) and traces of Methane (CH4). This mixture, termed as Producer Gas, serves as an excellent fuel for electricity generation. There is a wide range of biomass available including rice husk, wood powder, rice straw, coconut shells etc.. The process of biomass gasification is a good alternative for economical and environmentally friendly power generation. Biomass gasification is carried out in plants called Gasifiers.
The technologies commercially available for converting rice straw to electricity are the same as those used for other types of agricultural waste.
Combustion: Boilers and steam turbines are commonly used for biomass power projects. The technology is well known and reliable. The characteristics of rice straw do present some challenges though. The straw alkalinity can cause accelerated corrosion in the boiler and the low melting point of the straw ash leads to slagging and fouling.
Where straw is concerned, combustion technology is mostly used for projects in the 10 to 20 MW range or even larger. This is possible in agricultural operations where there are vast quantities of straw available. For various reasons, presumably economic, there do not seem to be many manufacturers of equipment for the smaller, 1 to 2 MW type projects typically encountered in other parts of Asia.
Gasification: For smaller projects, gasification would seem to be an appropriate solution. As with boilers, straw alkalinity and slagging are matters of concern for gasifiers. In addition, operating the gasifier at the relatively lower temperatures required to prevent agglomeration of the ash results in a tarry, low quality, producer gas.
In Southeast Asia, biomass gasification projects have been based around updraft gasifiers supplied from China and India that can be described as “basic” and lack sophisticated controls. The gas produced is not sufficiently cleaned prior to use, necessitating frequent engine maintenance. As a result, these projects have historically experienced very low availability to the extent that they become commercially unviable. Decommissioned and abandoned biomass gasification equipment litters the countryside.
Pyrolysis: Because slow pyrolysis produces a liquid fuel, it avoids some of the problems associated with thermal gasification. This liquid pyrolysis oil cannot be utilized directly in an internal combustion engine-driven generator set however. Additionally, the moisture level of the straw must be kept quite low for good pyrolysis. Options for using or altering the pyrolysis oil are available but it would seem that this technology may best be considered a type of fuel pre-treatment as far as power generation from biomass is concerned.
Anaerobic Digestion: Biogas can power an internal combustion engine directly and this seems to be a viable small-scale option. The anaerobic digestion process requires that the straw be mixed with other substrates, typically some kind of animal manure, which tends to limit the size of the project.
Fuel PretreatmentIn other than some larger scale plants where bales of straw are fed directly to the boiler, rice straw requires some level of pretreatment prior to use. Normally this will involve chopping or grinding to reduce the particle size for more effective combustion or to assist in breaking down the lignin wall for anaerobic digestion. It frequently also involves drying and densification. Other processes, including the following, could further increase the quality of rice straw as a fuel.
Washing/Wet Storage: It has been demonstrated that leaving straw exposed to rain in the field before collection significantly reduces its alkalinity. The moisture content of the straw needs to be kept low though, for efficient combustion or gasification.
Wet storage of the biomass is another option for reducing the straw alkalinity. The leachate from the process must be collected for disposal or other use however. This technology is probably best used in conjunction with anaerobic digestion.
Torrefaction: Pre-treating the rice straw by torrefaction makes the biomass a much easier fuel to densify and burn or gasify. It also allows for more efficient storage and increases the possibility for mixing with other types of biomass.
FinallyWhile the technical difficulties in utilizing rice straw as a fuel for electricity production are considerable, they are not insurmountable. As with most agricultural waste, the biggest obstacles to overcome involve the collection, transportation and storage of the biomass. Getting farmers interested in taking the time and effort to collect the straw is a challenge. Furthermore, once the suppliers have a captive customer for the straw, the price of that straw will invariably increase. This is regardless of the terms of any fuel supply agreement. (credit: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com)