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The Compelling Case for Renewable Energy

WoodFuel.com is excited about the future of the global Renewable Energy Industry. We strongly believe that the various renewable energy technologies will be able to work together to -

(i) reduce national and global dependence on traditional fossil fuels, and

(ii) provide a significant, positive impact on the environment.

By employing a variety of proven renewable-energy technologies such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and BIOMASS energy production, the United States can reach energy SUSTAINABILITY while significantly minimizing adverse affects on the environment. A Domestic Energy Policy that strongly encourages the use of renewable energy technologies will -

(i) significantly reduce the future threat to our national security created by fossil fuel dependence,

(ii) provide global leadership for energy sustainability, and

(iii) provide a disproportionate improvement to the global environment.

As the price of fossil fuels increases and the United States’ dependency on foreign oil imports becomes a growing NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE, there is no better time to focus on the value of renewable energy. Renewable energy industries boast abundant, environmentally beneficial energy sources including solar, wind, hydroelectric power, geothermal and BIOMASS (including WOODFUEL). Energy systems that utilize sources of fuel that are sustainable and renewable can operate in perpetuity, free from political and geographical supply uncertainties and without dependence on the global fossil fuel market.

Since 1970, the United States has spent more than a trillion dollars buying foreign oil. Today, more than 50 percent of the oil we use is imported and this growing reliance on foreign oil imports threatens our national security and exports capital beyond our borders. As long as the U.S. remains so heavily dependent on foreign oil, it will be vulnerable to future oil price shocks and foreign conflicts that could disrupt oil pipelines and international tanker traffic.

The total annual cost of fossil fuel dependency is staggering -

Defending oil interests in the Middle East	$ 25 billion
Tax incentives and other fossil fuel government subsidies	20 billion
Oil Imports	56 billion
Annual damages from fossil-fuel-induced air pollution	150 billion
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Total annual cost	$ 251 billion

WoodFuel.com’s focus is to locate, gather, manufacture and deliver a consistent supply of high quality biomass to fulfill its buyers’ feedstock requirements.

This section (and other sections of the site) include excerpts from John J. Berger’s book “Charging Ahead”, copyright 1997

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The Biomass Industry

WoodFuel.com is committed to providing quality biomass feedstock to a diverse group of companies that utilize environmentally beneficial technologies in order to generate clean power and non-fossil fuel derivatives. Typical biomass feedstocks in the United States currently include wood material (bark, chips, scraps, and saw dust), pulp and paper industry residues, agricultural residues, organic municipal material, sewage, manure, and food processing by-products.

Biomass has been used for heating, lighting, and cooking since the early days of mankind. Producing energy from biomass is the oldest known energy-conversion process and over half the world’s population uses biomass to satisfy daily heating and cooking requirements. Biomass supplies are abundant, secure, geographically diverse, economical, sustainable and underutilized. Biomass combustion produces clean energy when compared to fossil fuel sources, and is considered carbon neutral, meaning it does not add incremental greenhouse gases to the earth’s atmosphere. Utilizing urban biomass sources for energy production reduces the dependence on landfill disposal by approximately 15% and can decrease the practice of open burning which is a major source of air pollution in many areas.

Today, biomass power plants provide 2,420 MW of base load power to the national power grid, and an additional 5,035 MW of power directly to industrial energy users without adding net new carbon emissions to the environment. Biomass power generation consumes more than 100 million tons of fuel per year, virtually all of which is material or residue material that requires some form of treatment and disposal.

Biomass – A Growth Industry

Domestically, it is estimated that over $ 20 billion has been invested in the biomass industry, an industry that provides 66,000 jobs. By the year 2020, the United States is projected to have 30,000 MW of biomass electric capacity, employing 150,000 people. Overall, about five percent of the US’ energy requirements now come from biomass. Compare this to the worldwide average of 15% percent, and 35%-38% in developing countries. Eighty percent of the nation’s biomass comes from wood, with more than half of that total generated from “black liquor,” a by-product of paper pulp manufacturing.

The Environmental Benefits of Biomass Energy Conversion

The utilization of biomass in energy production has many positive effects on the environment, including -

Disposal benefits:

	Reduces the landfilling of wood material. Wood material can occupy 15% to 20% of the space in a typical county landfill, and its decomposition leads to methane gas emissions, a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
	Reduces the quantity of biomass material on the forest floor thereby reducing the risk of destructive wildfires and the gradual degradation of the forest ecosystem.
	An alternative to open burning of biomass.

Air quality benefits:

	Biomass combustion is a net zero producer of carbon.
	Co-firing biomass with coal mixtures in existing utility boilers is an attractive near term method to reduce carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.
	Gasification of biomass produces fewer emissions than direct combustion.
	Biomass is a feedstock for the manufacture of ethanol and methanol, two renewable non-fossil transportation fuels that can be easily integrated into existing fuel distribution networks. Ethyl and methyl alcohol derived from biomass can power vehicles by direct combustion or by operating a fuel cell. Both methods significantly reduce harmful emissions when compared with fossil fuels.
	Reduces the practice of open burning of biomass residues that leads to poor air quality in many areas.

WoodFuel.com is committed to provide quality biomass feedstock to a diverse group of companies that utilize environmentally beneficial technologies in order to generate clean power and non-fossil fuel derivatives.

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Biomass Technologies

WoodFuel.com can provide the feedstock for established wood combustion systems as well as the latest gasification technologies.

Many successful and viable biomass technologies are employed today. We are seeing a continual and rapid improvement in the technologies being developed for the utilization of biomass.

WoodFuel.com can provide the feedstock for the following specific uses -

	Wood fired stoker and combustion systems, which supply reliable, cost-effective steam, electricity, chilled water, and/or compressed air.
	Fluidized Bed Combustion Systems.
	Co-firing biomass with coal power plants.
	Gasification, utilizing fluidized bed closed loop systems.
	Biomass to Ethanol processes.
	Biofuels – a clean burning, renewable alternative to fossil fuels for generating power in diesel engines, boilers and gas turbines.

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WoodFuel.com’s Commitment to Buyers

WoodFuel.com is committed to providing high quality feedstocks to our buyers by -

	Maintaining a consistent supply of high quality biomass.
	Providing low moisture content material that meets or exceeds our buyers’ expectations and requirements.
	Providing reliable delivery services, including backhaul of forest industry by-products.
	Expanding our global availability and use of biomass.
	Providing improved purchasing efficiencies.
	Providing current and informative content affecting the renewable energy industry.
	Keeping our buyers apprised of new regulatory legislation that will affect our industry.

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