[Gasification] Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7

Sat Dec 22 12:09:14 CST 2012

Peter,

It is a highly functional gasifier that makes two good products – gas and biochar - in variable proportions. As you know it is a challenge just to sell a gasifier in energy markets that are dominated by low cost natural gas. 

I had previously understood that the 200 tpd gasifier referred to in the article was a pilot facility that was owned and operated by ICM. However, it appears that it might have also been operated on trial by the county as a means of wood waste reduction and the term ran out. That’s pure speculation but it was not generating heat or power for a customer. 

Tom     

From: Gasification [mailto:gasification-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Peter Mason
Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2012 6:35 AM
To: gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7

Just curious - is the ICM technology based on gasification or pyrolysis? Maybe this just highlights the fact that you cannot expect any single technology to deliver multiple outcomes.

Peter Mason.

   A problem well defined is a problem half solved and always start with the end in mind.

Mason & Associates.
Renewable Energy Project Developers.
pmason at telus.net

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gasification [mailto:gasification-
> bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of gasification-
> request at lists.bioenergylists.org
> Sent: December-21-12 8:01 PM
> To: gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org
> Subject: Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:44:03 +0000 (UTC)
> From: rongretlarson at comcast.net
> To: biochar at yahoogroups.com, Tom Miles <tmiles at trmiles.com>,
>     albert.bennett at icminc.com
> Cc: gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org,    biochar-policy
>     <biochar-policy at yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [Gasification] [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a
>     close
> Message-ID:
>     <469265106.1024285.1356043443355.JavaMail.root at sz0133a.emeryville <mailto:469265106.1024285.1356043443355.JavaMail.root at sz0133a.emeryville%0b> 
> .ca.mail.comcast.net>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> 
>
> Tom, Lists, Bert
>
> Because this sounded pretty bad news for biochar, I have done a little
> looking around. I eventually talked to the key individual at ICM - Dr.
> Bert Bennett, who has agreed to comment on your news story below.
>
> Bert gave a very informative plenary about this specific ICM plant at
> Sonoma. Anyone can watch a good 15 minute video found at:
> http://2012.biochar.us.com/conference-videos
>
> I also found a shorter similar 5 minute audio from 2011
> http://domesticfuel.com/2011/05/10/icm-spotlights-biomass-gasification-
> at-conference/
>
> There are also plenty of news releases on the facility - all I saw were
> very complementary.
>
> Because Bert has agreed to give some more background, I won't say more
> except to say this should be by no means the end of the biochar story
> from this 350 person company, that is operating worldwide.
>
> Ron
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Miles" <tmiles at trmiles.com>
> To: biochar at yahoogroups.com, "Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and
> gasification" <gasification at lists.bioenergylists.org>
> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 11:08:46 AM
> Subject: [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a close
>
> > The article below demonstrates how difficult it Is to convert urban
> residues to heat, power and biochar in today?s economy.
>
> > I observed that technically the ICM gasifier worked very well. The ICM
> gasifier can take wood, straw or corn stover and convert it to gas and
> biochar in various proportions. It makes a good quality biochar that
> has been tested in various locations. I was impressed by the fuel
> flexibility.
>
> The economic challenges are manifold: if it is not feasible to generate
> and sell heat or power and biochar at one location then you can?t
> generate the cash flow necessary to run the plant. We hope that Bert
> Bennett and his team at ICM can find a suitable customer.
>  
> Tom
>
> ICM gasifier project comes to a close
>
> By Ashley Bergner Newton Kansan
>
> December 20. 2012 11:00AM
>
> www.thekansan.com/article/20121220/NEWS/121229996
>
> > The decommissioning of ICM's prototype gasifier at the Harvey County
> Transfer Station marks an end ? or at least a postponement ? of the
> county's vision of a viable waste-to-energy system.
> At Monday's county commission meeting, officials announced the project
> would be coming to a close, and within six months, all the equipment
> will be taken down.
>
> "It would bring to a halt our hopes ... of what would be a waste-to-
> energy facility," said John Waltner, county administrator.
> ICM?s Biomass Gasification System, also known as a ?gasifier,? burns
> trash and converts it to synthetic gas, which can be used to generate
> power in industrial and commercial settings. ICM tested thousands of
> tons of different types of waste, which are referred to as
> ?feedstocks.? Feedstocks tested included wood chips, wheat straw and
> refuse-derived fuel (this includes junk mail, cardboard and other paper
> products thrown away).
>
> Using a gasifier to convert Harvey County trash into energy had once
> appeared to be a possibility. The Harvey County facility likely would
> have needed to burn 90 tons of trash per day, a number officials had
> thought the county could reach.
> ICM plans to try to market the technology in a different area, perhaps
> overseas.
> Despite the county's disappointment the project wasn't ultimately
> viable here in Harvey County, they said their experience working with
> ICM was positive.
>
> "It really has been just a terrific exercise for us," Waltner said.
>
> Commission chair Marge Roberson agreed."It feels really good that
> Harvey County had the tenacity to push to take a good, hard look at
> doing something with trash other than putting it in the ground," she
> said. "I absolutely do not regret any moment we've spent with this
> partnership."
>
> Waltner does believe the technology will be prove to be viable in the
> future.
>
> "They're going to be successful," he said of the company. "This is
> something that's going to happen."

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