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Climate Protection and Sustainability
The reduction of harmful greenhouse gases from emissions is one of the most important problems facing our culture. Almost 80% of the worldwide energy requirements are met by energy sources such as crude oil, gas or coal. The burning of these fossil fuels releases not only CO2 into the atmosphere, but also nitrous oxide and particulate dust, all of which are damaging to the climate and environment.
The energy industry, as one of the main emitters of CO2 and other climate-damaging gases, plays an important role. The industry is currently in the midst of a structural overhaul to move away from fossil fuels and develop renewable energy sources.
Bio-energy can make an important contribution to this structural overhaul. In comparison to solar and wind energy sources, bio-energy has substantially lower production costs and can be used as needed. The use of biomass as an energy source only releases the CO2 that was absorbed in the plants during photosynthesis. If not used as an energy source, biomass would either rot or be used in compost, releasing the CO2 content without using the valuable energy.
Because of the heterogeneity of biomass, its use today is mostly limited to a few types (especially wood and energy crops planted for energy use). Much of the organic waste (for example, green waste) is not used as energy due to deficient technological solutions. Organic waste is especially interesting as an energy source since it does not compete with the production of food, as other alternative sources do. Herein lies an enormous potential. According to a study by Vattenfall AG and McKinsey in 2010, the potential of biomass as a main energy resource (not including food production) is estimated at 22,840 TWh by 2020.
SunCoal Industries has developed a solution with CarboREN® technology that, according to the principles of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), produces biocoal from biomass, using existing processes and infrastructure to produce an efficient, cost-effective and climate-friendly energy source. The efficiency and climate-friendly CarboREN technology main advantages are the minimal amount of energy that is needed, that almost all of the organic material can be refined into fuel and that the water used is not gaseous but can be filtered in clean and fluid.
If the bio-coal is used at an existing co-firing plant and substitutes fossil coal, there are further advantages:
The energy industry, as one of the main emitters of CO2 and other climate-damaging gases, plays an important role. The industry is currently in the midst of a structural overhaul to move away from fossil fuels and develop renewable energy sources.
Bio-energy can make an important contribution to this structural overhaul. In comparison to solar and wind energy sources, bio-energy has substantially lower production costs and can be used as needed. The use of biomass as an energy source only releases the CO2 that was absorbed in the plants during photosynthesis. If not used as an energy source, biomass would either rot or be used in compost, releasing the CO2 content without using the valuable energy.
Because of the heterogeneity of biomass, its use today is mostly limited to a few types (especially wood and energy crops planted for energy use). Much of the organic waste (for example, green waste) is not used as energy due to deficient technological solutions. Organic waste is especially interesting as an energy source since it does not compete with the production of food, as other alternative sources do. Herein lies an enormous potential. According to a study by Vattenfall AG and McKinsey in 2010, the potential of biomass as a main energy resource (not including food production) is estimated at 22,840 TWh by 2020.
SunCoal Industries has developed a solution with CarboREN® technology that, according to the principles of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), produces biocoal from biomass, using existing processes and infrastructure to produce an efficient, cost-effective and climate-friendly energy source. The efficiency and climate-friendly CarboREN technology main advantages are the minimal amount of energy that is needed, that almost all of the organic material can be refined into fuel and that the water used is not gaseous but can be filtered in clean and fluid.
If the bio-coal is used at an existing co-firing plant and substitutes fossil coal, there are further advantages:
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There are many negative side effects for the environment and citizens from the mining of coal. Entire landscapes are currently used for mining, with the necessary cost to the population and the environment. Considering the long-term environmental and economic effects, the continued use of fossil fuels is not justifiable.
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In order to limit the amount of new investment needed and to continue to use the existing infrastructure of coal power plants, bio-coal can be burned in established power plants. This use of bio-coal can therefore bridge the gap until the structural changes in the energy industry have been completed.
