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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Peter,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Tom <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Gasification [mailto:gasification-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Peter Mason<br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, December 22, 2012 6:35 AM<br><b>To:</b> gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Gasification] Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <br>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.<br> <br>Peter Mason.<br> <br><em> A problem well defined is a problem half solved and always start with the end in mind.</em><br> <br>Mason & Associates.<br>Renewable Energy Project Developers.<br><a href="mailto:pmason@telus.net">pmason@telus.net</a><br> <br> <br>> -----Original Message-----<br>> From: Gasification [mailto:gasification-<br>> <a href="mailto:bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org">bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org</a>] On Behalf Of gasification-<br>> <a href="mailto:request@lists.bioenergylists.org">request@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>> Sent: December-21-12 8:01 PM<br>> To: <a href="mailto:gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org">gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org</a><br>> Subject: Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7<br>><br>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>><br>> Message: 1<br>> Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:44:03 +0000 (UTC)<br>> From: <a href="mailto:rongretlarson@comcast.net">rongretlarson@comcast.net</a><br>> To: <a href="mailto:biochar@yahoogroups.com">biochar@yahoogroups.com</a>, Tom Miles <<a href="mailto:tmiles@trmiles.com">tmiles@trmiles.com</a>>,<br>> <a href="mailto:albert.bennett@icminc.com">albert.bennett@icminc.com</a><br>> Cc: <a href="mailto:gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org">gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org</a>, biochar-policy<br>> <<a href="mailto:biochar-policy@yahoogroups.com">biochar-policy@yahoogroups.com</a>><br>> Subject: Re: [Gasification] [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a<br>> close<br>> Message-ID:<br>> <<a href="mailto:469265106.1024285.1356043443355.JavaMail.root@sz0133a.emeryville%0b">469265106.1024285.1356043443355.JavaMail.root@sz0133a.emeryville<br></a>> .ca.mail.comcast.net><br>><br>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"<br>> <br>> <br>><br>> Tom, Lists, Bert<br>><br>> Because this sounded pretty bad news for biochar, I have done a little<br>> looking around. I eventually talked to the key individual at ICM - Dr.<br>> Bert Bennett, who has agreed to comment on your news story below.<br>><br>> Bert gave a very informative plenary about this specific ICM plant at<br>> Sonoma. Anyone can watch a good 15 minute video found at:<br>> <a href="http://2012.biochar.us.com/conference-videos">http://2012.biochar.us.com/conference-videos</a><br>><br>> I also found a shorter similar 5 minute audio from 2011<br>> <a href="http://domesticfuel.com/2011/05/10/icm-spotlights-biomass-gasification-">http://domesticfuel.com/2011/05/10/icm-spotlights-biomass-gasification-</a><br>> at-conference/<br>><br>> There are also plenty of news releases on the facility - all I saw were<br>> very complementary.<br>><br>> Because Bert has agreed to give some more background, I won't say more<br>> except to say this should be by no means the end of the biochar story<br>> from this 350 person company, that is operating worldwide.<br>><br>> Ron<br>> ----- Original Message -----<br>> From: "Tom Miles" <<a href="mailto:tmiles@trmiles.com">tmiles@trmiles.com</a>><br>> To: <a href="mailto:biochar@yahoogroups.com">biochar@yahoogroups.com</a>, "Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and<br>> gasification" <<a href="mailto:gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org">gasification@lists.bioenergylists.org</a>><br>> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 11:08:46 AM<br>> Subject: [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a close<br>><br>> > The article below demonstrates how difficult it Is to convert urban<br>> residues to heat, power and biochar in today?s economy.<br>><br>> > I observed that technically the ICM gasifier worked very well. The ICM<br>> gasifier can take wood, straw or corn stover and convert it to gas and<br>> biochar in various proportions. It makes a good quality biochar that<br>> has been tested in various locations. I was impressed by the fuel<br>> flexibility.<br>><br>> The economic challenges are manifold: if it is not feasible to generate<br>> and sell heat or power and biochar at one location then you can?t<br>> generate the cash flow necessary to run the plant. We hope that Bert<br>> Bennett and his team at ICM can find a suitable customer.<br>> <br>> Tom<br>><br>> ICM gasifier project comes to a close<br>><br>> By Ashley Bergner Newton Kansan<br>><br>> December 20. 2012 11:00AM<br>><br>> <a href="http://www.thekansan.com/article/20121220/NEWS/121229996">www.thekansan.com/article/20121220/NEWS/121229996</a><br>><br>> > The decommissioning of ICM's prototype gasifier at the Harvey County<br>> Transfer Station marks an end ? or at least a postponement ? of the<br>> county's vision of a viable waste-to-energy system.<br>> At Monday's county commission meeting, officials announced the project<br>> would be coming to a close, and within six months, all the equipment<br>> will be taken down.<br>><br>> "It would bring to a halt our hopes ... of what would be a waste-to-<br>> energy facility," said John Waltner, county administrator.<br>> ICM?s Biomass Gasification System, also known as a ?gasifier,? burns<br>> trash and converts it to synthetic gas, which can be used to generate<br>> power in industrial and commercial settings. ICM tested thousands of<br>> tons of different types of waste, which are referred to as<br>> ?feedstocks.? Feedstocks tested included wood chips, wheat straw and<br>> refuse-derived fuel (this includes junk mail, cardboard and other paper<br>> products thrown away).<br>><br>> Using a gasifier to convert Harvey County trash into energy had once<br>> appeared to be a possibility. The Harvey County facility likely would<br>> have needed to burn 90 tons of trash per day, a number officials had<br>> thought the county could reach.<br>> ICM plans to try to market the technology in a different area, perhaps<br>> overseas.<br>> Despite the county's disappointment the project wasn't ultimately<br>> viable here in Harvey County, they said their experience working with<br>> ICM was positive.<br>><br>> "It really has been just a terrific exercise for us," Waltner said.<br>><br>> Commission chair Marge Roberson agreed."It feels really good that<br>> Harvey County had the tenacity to push to take a good, hard look at<br>> doing something with trash other than putting it in the ground," she<br>> said. "I absolutely do not regret any moment we've spent with this<br>> partnership."<br>><br>> Waltner does believe the technology will be prove to be viable in the<br>> future.<br>><br>> "They're going to be successful," he said of the company. "This is<br>> something that's going to happen."<br> <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>