Power-Gen Reflects Optimism
The Power-Gen show in Las Vegas was a success in terms of quality of the papers
and the amount of traffic at the stands. The exhibitors reported more leads than
in previous years. Those suppliers of gas turbine components and services
are reporting substantial bookings and a rosy outlook. One supplier reported 18
orders in 2011 for SCR systems for peaking gas turbines. Catalyst suppliers
indicated they are running at near capacity except that the Chinese suppliers
have expanded capacity beyond current consumption. Nevertheless, the demand is
continuing to accelerate and will match capacity shortly.
The Gainesville biomass plant being built by Metso will feature a unique 450
F SCR system following the baghouse. So this should eliminate the concerns
about catalyst poisoning.
The debate over plate vs. honeycomb catalyst continues. Ceram has
introduced a plate catalyst for customers who already have plate catalyst. It
will also be recommended where the honeycomb pitch would be very large and for
certain high dust applications such as German brown coal. Cormetech says
that the honeycomb with the larger openings is just as resistant to plugging as
is the plate, so the controversy continues.
McIlvaine interviewed more than 100 people at the show. In the coming weeks the
insights from these interviews plus pictures of the interviewees will be
provided in the Alert.
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Here are the Headlines for the December 9, 2011 – Utility E Alert
UTILITY E-ALERT
#1053 – December 9, 2011
Table of Contents
COAL – US
COAL – WORLD
GAS / OIL – US
GAS / OIL – WORLD
NUCLEAR
HOT TOPIC HOUR
For more information on the Utility Environmental
Upgrade Tracking System, click on:
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html#42ei.
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Demand for Biomass Pellets Expands
The market for biomass pellets continues to grow encouraging the opening of new
pellet manufacturing facilities. This is a subject covered in McIlvaine
Renewable Energy Updates and Projects.
*****
European demand for wood pellets has, to a large extent, driven the expansion of
pellet capacity in both the U.S. and Canada the past five years. The North
American Wood Fiber Review reports that in coming years, it is likely that
demand for pellets will increase not only in Europe, but also in Asia and North
America, which will generate new opportunities for pellet producers,
particularly in Western Canada and Eastern U.S.
A number of new wood pellet plants in the U.S. and Canada are set to commence
operations during 2011, with more plants planned in the coming years. With the
additional capacity coming on line, the industry is eyeing the growing demand in
four regions — Europe, Asia, and to a lesser extent the Maritime Provinces of
Eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S. The existing coal-fired energy sector in
the U.S. South remains a potent, yet unrealized market to date. Federal policies
in the U.S. that restrict the emissions of CO2 gases would ultimately
benefit the pellet industry in North America, as many coal plants would likely
begin using pellets for co-firing as is the case in Europe. These changes would
drastically alter existing pellet flows and production plans.
Europe has, by far, been the largest export market for North American pellet
producers for a number of years, shipping nearly 1.5 million metric tons in
2010, as reported in the North American Wood Fiber Review. The most significant
potential for increased wood pellet utilization, both short and long term, will
continue to be in this region, as the European Union’s 27 member countries have
a goal of sourcing 20 percent of the Union’s total energy needs with renewable
sources by 2020.
Wood Resources International LLC (WRI), an internationally recognized forest
industry consulting firm established in 1987, publishes two quarterly timber
price reports and has readers in over 25 countries.
*****
Enviva LP, a leading manufacturer of processed biomass fuel in the United States
and Europe, announced plans to build a wood pellet manufacturing facility in
Northampton County, NC. The new plant received grant support from the state’s
One North Carolina Fund and could be operational as early as October 2012. This
will be Enviva’s second wood pellet facility in North Carolina and will bring 62
jobs to the area.
The Northampton plant is designed to produce 400,000 metric tons of wood pellets
annually. When completed, it will bring Enviva’s production in North Carolina to
more than 750,000 metric tons annually. The facility will join Enviva’s four
other wood pellet plants, including one currently under construction in Ahoskie,
NC. Production there is planned to begin this October. Wood pellets from both
North Carolina plants will be stored and loaded at Enviva’s Chesapeake, VA deep
water port facilities, a key export terminal developed for the safe, reliable
storage and handling of its products.
*****
Vega Biofuels, Inc. provided the following update for the company’s bio-coal
plant to be located in Cordele, GA.
The company recently announced that it had entered into an agreement with
engineering firm, Hunt, Guillot & Associates (HGA). As announced, HGA will
provide various services to Vega including plant design, project management,
equipment installation, and engineering services.
When completed, the company’s manufacturing plant will produce green energy
bio-coal for use in existing coal-fired power plants around the world.
Bio-coal is made from a process called “torrefaction.” Torrefaction is a partial
carbonization process that takes place at temperatures between 475-575° in a low
temperature environment which makes the physical and energetic properties of the
biomass much more comparable to traditional coal. The biomass is then compressed
into briquettes to be sold to the end user. Torrefaction has the added benefit
of reducing or eliminating undesirable volatiles, such as nitrous oxides and
sulfur dioxides and is considered carbon neutral to the environment.
*****
Construction was completed on the world’s first commercial plant to produce a
next-generation solid fuel, called bio-cokes, at Takatsuki, Japan. The renewable
material is produced from forest residues and can be used as an alternative to
coal-based coke in blast furnaces and as fuel for power-plant boilers and
incinerators. It can also be produced from other biomass, such as waste tea
leaves and algae.
The plant, owned by the Osaka Prefecture Forest Owners Assn. (OFA) will produce
600-800 ton/yr in a demonstration reactor. OFA plans full-scale production of
bio-cokes (1,800 ton/yr) by April 2012. The conversion of forestry residues to
coke takes place in cylindrical reactors at 180°C, with nearly 100 percent
yield. The OFA plant is composed of 36 reactor vessels.
For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update
please visit
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Brochure/renewable_energy_projects_brochure.htm
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Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
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