The Federal Government's largest single electricity user is the Department of Defense (DoD), consuming 55% of total government use. More than $5 billion of its annual budget is allotted to purchase energy making the DoD the largest energy consumer in the nation. In 2005 the DoD issued an internal memo encouraging its service branches to pursue a goal of generating and/or acquiring 25% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025.[1]
In July 2008 the U.S. Department of Defense announced that it entered into an agreement with Bell Bio-Energy, Inc. to build seven demonstration plants to gather engineering data on the Bell Bio-Energy process of converting biomass into fuel. The demonstration plants, which will be located on Army bases in six states, will convert bio-mass directly into hydrocarbon fuel through bacterial action. This process of direct conversion of biomass into hydrocarbon fuel is the discovery of Bell Bio-Energy, Inc.[2]
Currently, perennial grass and woody crops have an average yield of about 5 dry tons per acre. Ethanol yield from a dry ton of biomass is about 67 gallons, so today we can obtain roughly 335 gallons of ethanol from an acre of bioenergy crops. If average biomass yields of about 10 to 15 dry tons per acre and ethanol yields of 80 to 100 gallons per dry ton of biomass could be achieved, an acre of bioenergy crops could generate 800 to 1500 gallons of ethanol.
No. Ethanol has about 70% the energy content of gasoline per unit volume, so for every gallon of gasoline consumed, 1.4 gallons of ethanol would be needed to displace it. Ethanol, however, has a higher octane rating than gasoline - about 113 for ethanol compared to 87 for regular gasoline. The higher the octane rating, the better a fuel is at preventing engine "knocking" caused by inefficient fuel combustion. In other words, the higher-octane fuel provides better performance because it is used more efficiently to generate power rather than heat. If engines were optimized to take advantage of the higher octane rating of ethanol, they could achieve fuel economy more similar to that of gasoline engines.
Ethanol and gasoline-ethanol blends cannot be transported by existing pipelines that carry gasoline. Water present in petroleum pipelines can pull ethanol out and cause ethanol-gasoline blends to separate into two phases. Ethanol must be transported by train, barge, or truck within an independent distribution system to ensure handling separate from the ethanol-production facility to distribution terminals, where ethanol is blended with gasoline just before delivery to retail stations.[3]
A comprehensive listing on transportation related biomass energy publications may be accessed at the following web address: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/biodiesel_publications.html
A case study for the DoD’s renewable energy process may be seen at Fort Bliss where their goal is to become champions of renewable energy in production generation, efficiency and conservation; in the near future achieving NetZero one of the installation’s goals. According to representatives from Fort Bliss, “The region is in a strategic location with wind, solar, biomass and geothermal resources. Initiatives are already ongoing in many areas to reach the goal of energy independence by 2015. An original investment of $56 million dollars is the beginning with a projected cost between $250 million and $300 million to reach Net Zero in 10 years. The annual savings estimate starts at $10-15 million then increases exponentially based on how and when we achieve Net Zero. In 2025 these savings could be as high as $90 million if we are truly Net Zero.""
(ref: "Achieving Net Zero in Energy Efficiency," DoD Live Blog post by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Howard Bromberg, Commanding General, Fort Bliss, posted 7/4/10)
Pellet fueled stoves are a potential residential use for biomass energy; wood pellets are a popular biomass fuel source and can be made of compacted sawdust, wood bark or a number of other mill or agricultural byproduct materials. Corn is another biomass fuel, and many of today's stoves are designed to burn corn for heat. In addition to wood pellets and corn, pellet stoves and furnaces might also accommodate other biomass fuels like dried cherry pits, soybeans and nutshells. Most pellet stoves require "premium pellets," which have low ash content.
Particulate emissions, which is measured in pounds/million BTUs, is significantly lower in a wood pellet stove when compared to a traditional wood stove or fireplace. Pellet stoves measure about .49 while a wood stove is 1.4 and a fireplace is 28. Biomass stoves are also more efficient than traditional wood stoves. The biomass fuels are uniform, consistent and drier than wood.[4]
A listing of Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency may be viewed at the following web address: http://www.energysavers.gov/financial/70010.html
(ref:“Department of Defense Facilities and Vehicles Energy Use, Strategies and Goals: Program Overview,” Quality Construction Alliance (QCA), 5/11/09)
Research by Eliza Brannigan
