tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68421908321035505962012-02-02T06:09:28.591-08:00The 4th of 4 interlinked BIOenergy Blogs, this one covers urban waste and waste output from conversion technologies. The other three related blogs are the <a href="http://biostock.blogspot.com"><b>BIOstock Blog</b></a>, the <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOconversion Blog</b></a>, and the <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOoutput Blog</b></a>. Related <a href="http://twubs.com/biowaste">#biowaste tweets</a> @BIOblogger.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-70568635655523633582011-08-03T18:48:00.000-07:002011-08-04T07:49:11.182-07:00

I learned today that the Biomass Thermal Energy Council has praised the formation of a new BIOMASS CAUCUS in the U.S. House of Representatives.Led by Rep. Charlie Bass, R-N.H., and Peter Welch, D-VT., this coalition will seek to support the development of biomass and elevate the renewable resource's profile in Congress."We strongly support the creation of the Biomass Caucus and commend the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-46451379566797126502010-08-02T12:37:00.000-07:002011-07-21T15:23:35.310-07:00

The Puente Hills Landfill is the largest operating sanitary landfill in the United States (and probably the world). It is scheduled to close in 2013.Now that AB 222 has finally "passed" through the Senate Environmental Quality Committee (SEQ), the question is, does the legislation meet the vision of what has passed through the full Assembly (54-13) and the Senate Utilities Committee (6-1) last

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-13523538728045976782010-04-20T01:57:00.000-07:002010-04-22T21:55:03.720-07:00

Environmentalists must stop letting the perfect become the enemy of the possible.- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger For three years I have been writing about the frustrated attempts to get legislation passed through Sacramento that would enable the state's municipalities and utilities to permit diversion of municipal solid waste post-recyclables to conversion technologies that would recover energy,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-15551158347239210312010-03-12T18:22:00.000-08:002010-03-13T07:40:46.852-08:00

SCWMF meeting attendees (left to right): Dr. Kay Martin, Chip Clements, Coby Skye, Rick Brandes, Tobie Mitchell, and Jim Stewart (11/2009 by Scott Miller)Last November the Southern California Waste Management Forum (SCWMF) met at its 38th annual meeting to discuss future directions for municipal solid waste management in the region. 2010 is an important year because time is running out before the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-2136974595862373662009-07-19T16:52:00.000-07:002009-07-20T14:44:49.752-07:00

Chalk one up for the fossil energy status quo. Last Thursday, as a result of obstructive votes of five members of the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee (SEQ), a crucial piece of renewable energy legislation titled "Assembly Bill 222" has been delayed yet another year. Call it a failure to launch.If approved, this legislation would have responsibly (and with articulated recycling

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-54170152649317432012009-06-12T23:06:00.000-07:002009-06-14T07:19:28.805-07:00

A showdown is looming in the California State Senate this summer over an issue that is at the heart of the nationwide drive to develop and deploy bioenergy conversion technologies.In a state that prides itself on its landmark achievements in outlining Global Warming Solutions (AB 32), Bioenergy Action plans, and Low Carbon Fuel Standards, access to some of the most sustainable feedstocks for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-59904127922786064232009-04-21T10:20:00.000-07:002009-04-26T15:39:34.196-07:00

Californians interested in supporting the clean conversion of post-recyclable waste streams into biopower and biofuels need to help support regulatory reform in Sacramento right now.California is the crucible for this issue because of its proud history for diverting municipal solid waste (MSW) from landfills through reduction, reuse, and recycling. However there still remains some 40 million tons

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-79724498220576890332009-03-01T06:11:00.000-08:002009-06-12T23:03:52.544-07:00

In February of this year the Worldwatch Institute and Sierra Club jointly released a report that supports the continued development of cellulosic biofuels using thermochemical means. From the report...“In the thermochemical platform, heat, pressure, chemical catalysts, and water are used to break down biomass in much the same way that petroleum is refined. Thermochemical technologies include

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-25990235284716717232008-11-09T09:29:00.000-08:002008-11-10T12:15:03.073-08:00

Perhaps the most overlooked issue for all sectors of the renewable energy paradigm is the availability of trained manpower. Maybe it should be the prime issue rather than a secondary one. It certainly will be once new technologies have emerged because widespread implementation and deployment will depend on the availability of a generation of new laborers for work that cannot be off-shored.A

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-59682087126656386342008-11-02T21:04:00.000-08:002008-11-03T10:18:42.877-08:00

Joel Makower comments on the opportunities and challenges presented by the green economyFor twenty years Joel Makower has been a prolific and insightful communicator about businesses and their role in developing environmentally sustainable practices. He has his own website and Two Steps Forward blog. Many recognize him for his frequent speaking engagements at Clean-tech, business, academic, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-26280072707756577052008-10-20T10:48:00.000-07:002008-10-26T16:44:34.670-07:00

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of VictoryCalifornia is a study of trends and counter-trends. On one hand we have an "Action" governor who commissions and signs executive orders like the California Bioenergy Action Plan that calls for collaboration between the State government, academia, NGOs, and private industry to tackle our energy deficit problem using bioenergy. The State also has a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-50439138572535309762008-08-16T17:48:00.000-07:002008-08-21T10:51:28.446-07:00

Aligned with the goals of the California Bioenergy Action Plan there is a new amendment to a California Senate Bill (SB 1252) that seeks to expand the range of technologies that are sanctioned for the conversion of green and municipal waste into biofuels. It would, for instance, "greenlight" projects like the new BlueFire Ethanol demonstration facility being built in Lancaster, CA. Coming AFTER

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-46676825508620173112008-07-29T06:42:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:07.488-08:00

California Senator David Roberti (ret.) is a public servant of the first magnitude for California. I have met Sen. Roberti several times and hold him in highest esteem for his intelligence, his leadership, his respect for the lawmaking process, and socially sensitive policymaking. During his 28 years of service in the California legislature and 13 years of service as President Pro Tem of the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-34032703695873022562008-07-02T21:24:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:08.316-08:00

This is one of a series of comments submitted to the California Air Resources Board for their draft version of the California Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan. Other BIOenergy BlogRing comments are linked here: • Challenge the Status Quo • Recycling and Waste • Sustainable Forests----------------The Draft Scoping Plan correctly identifies recycling and waste management as a focus area

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-48547816121412808982007-11-02T13:47:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:08.535-08:00

Implementing new technologies to solve chronic problems is hard work. A generation filled with expectations of instant gratification is sure to be frustrated by the seemingly slow pace of change to correct obvious environmental challenges. Take recycling for example. In the last twenty years we have made great strides to reduce, reuse and recycle trash from our waste streams as we hover around

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-36425890840333534102007-08-25T19:15:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:08.763-08:00

One of the true achievements that came from the development of the petroleum industry is the creative ways that have been found to dispose of refinery residuals. The entire plastics industry owes much to the innovation of chemical companies like DuPont who found ways to take the "sows ears" of petroleum and make "silk purses" out of them - fibers, plastics, fertilizers, and chemicals.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-48882321811209696292007-07-31T17:05:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:08.940-08:00

The non-profit California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) recently held its 31st annual CRRA Conference and Trade Show in the coastal city of San Pedro in Los Angeles County attracting recycling professionals from throughout the state. The theme of this year's event was "Navigating to Zero Waste." As a global leader in the environmental sustainability field...The CRRA works to expand markets

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-33550770006156939812007-07-17T11:35:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:09.207-08:00

I have been in touch with Dr. Ines Freesen about a new conference that her company is co-hosting that will take place between September 25-27th in Pittsburg, PA. While there is plenty of excitement about corn ethanol and the emerging technologies surrounding cellulosic ethanol, there is a dearth of press and conference content about the most revolutionary concept of all - converting municipal

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-37018689207776109822007-07-16T11:40:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:09.313-08:00

I received a welcomed message from Anthony Arand, CEO of Envirepel Energy, Inc. who wished to clarify and expand on what has been reported here on the SDG&E press release:I enjoyed reading your columns in trying to figure out what is our company really up to. Biomass diversion contracts? Honestly, that is the first time I have heard that terminology applied to a utility or us. Please allow me to

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-40355680038516911122007-06-13T18:20:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:09.681-08:00

Almost one year ago, I posted an entry on the diversion of green waste clippings from landfills to be used as biostock for a California utility electrical plant. The Bull Moose announcement was one of many planned by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) not only for biomass, but also solar and wind projects. Yesterday another similar biomass diversion contract was announced involving a different

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-51635973553483791892007-05-31T13:16:00.001-07:002008-11-12T23:55:09.891-08:00

Tying Energy Efficiency to Renewable EnergyLost in the rush to develop alternative energy technologies is the obvious value of making energy usage more efficient. As Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute would say, "a watt saved is a watt earned." This can be applied to biofuel usage as well. It is far cheaper to save energy than it is to produce more of it, particularly when existing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-58776049526897064952007-04-30T13:12:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:10.144-08:00

Woody Biomass - Energizing a new generationAmerica is witnessing the balkanization of its renewable energy portfolio. The sun belt is home to solar energy. The corn belt is home to ethanol. Landfill bioenergy is focused in urban areas. The nation's woodpiles are in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Each region will have to come to grips with the economic, technical, environmental, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-8254955579861063752007-04-29T08:54:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:10.234-08:00

Khosla Ventures is turning its eye onto new businesses that are developing bioconversion processes for turning smokestack emissions into marketable biofuels - mainly ethanol. Such technologies offer the prospect of retrofitting carbon spewing combustion furnaces and boilers with energy saving bioreactors that, with the right combination of nutrients and organisms, can feed on the toxic gases and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-82202214754543909792007-04-22T09:36:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:10.569-08:00

At the 23rd Annual BioCycle West Coast Conference in San Diego April 16th, 2007, Coby Skye of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LA/DPW) gave a presentation about the hurdles waste conversion technologies (CTs) face in Southern California. Coby leads a group within the Solid Waste Management Committee/Integrated Waste Management Task Force (SWMC) that has been given the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-41186372169289763502007-04-07T15:07:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:10.974-08:00

For anyone who desires a simple introduction to the subject of Biomass Waste I suggest a careful reading of a brief technical overview document called The BioTown, USA Sourcebook of Biomass Energy (released in April, 2006). It was written for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture by scientist and fellow blogger, Mark Jenner, PhD. who has his own website called Biomass Rules. Mark is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-41058268894589141762007-03-31T05:46:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:11.082-08:00

Bridging the Gap to BiofuelsWhen it comes to energy, we are all stakeholders – whether we are producers, refiners, developers, educators, policymakers, marketers, regulators, environmentalists, distributors, farmers, foresters, or simply commuters... we are all consumers with a vested interest in future development of renewable energy in concert with environmental sustainability. Even though

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-91391139206256838612007-03-15T10:28:00.000-07:002008-11-12T23:55:11.204-08:00

California generates roughly 40 million tons of unrecyclable waste each year. When asked what alternatives do recycling activists have planned for diverting this waste from landfills the first response is usually "source reduction."Is source reduction a realistic answer to the problem of landfills? Will it satisfy the needs of urban centers like Los Angeles which are running out of landfill space

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-14151712377488725462007-03-10T07:26:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.346-08:00

At the recent ACORE-sponsored Power-Gen Renewable Energy & Fuels conference in Las Vegas I met briefly with Dana Allen of a nano-biotechnology company called NanoLogix. They are presently operating a hydrogen bioreactor at Welch's Food and have recently signed an agreement with the City of Erie Wastewater Treatment Plant for a prototype bioreactor installation. The company is also conducting

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-23669393656037336892007-02-28T14:29:00.001-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.445-08:00

The IPCC finally released their long-awaited summary of findings on global warming. Al Gore's movie won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Does that mean that people are finally convinced of the truth about global warming? Does it matter?There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the state of the atmosphere without having to declare one way or the other on the issue of global warming. Living

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-66219456855269397512007-02-18T10:32:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.536-08:00

Megan Prusynski of Green Options has written a good review of the state of the industry in recycled papers. Citing EPA statistics that paper makes up 35% of our waste stream but less than half of that (48%) is recovered for recycling, the graphic designer implores her readers to think more about the alternatives to using virgin paper (paper made from trees). Her research is very helpful because

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-15862456490899162922007-02-08T07:45:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.656-08:00

Although located near the site of two famous Bull Run battles of the Civil War, the rural community of Warrenton, Virginia is not the kind of place you would normally expect to find revolutionary figures. Yet the town's mayor, George Fitch, envisions a future of green choice and self-reliance for his community by converting local waste and crops into bioenergy - ethanol for cars and green

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-85730892147967289062007-02-06T21:56:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.884-08:00

When it comes to conversion systems some markets call for large scale solutions and other want to know how small you can go. Here are two systems that pack many features into a small footprint - small enough to fit on a ship.PyroGenesis' Plasma Resource Recovery System (PRRS) uses a graphite arc plasma furnace to effect gasification of waste into syngas, a glass-like slag, and metal. The syngas

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-15011986127752572152007-01-31T17:20:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:11.971-08:00

The Renewable Industrial RevolutionAfter more than 150 years, the Industrial Revolution is overdue for a major retooling. No longer can we heedlessly combust biomass and fossil resources without consideration for the carbon emissions and potential energy that "floats out the smokestack." But what can possibly replace the status quo paradigm that we have based so much of our energy, industry,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-88632260640587761902007-01-30T09:20:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:12.055-08:00

Plasma arc systems represent the very high heat end of the gasification technology scale generating temperatures at 1,000°C and above to vaporize feedstock into gaseous form. The hotter the fire, the broader the range of odious feedstocks that can be cleanly converted into syngas.It generally takes about 160 megawatts per hour to feed the energy needs of the plasma arc from which can be derived

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-15691728085135184942007-01-28T21:03:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:12.148-08:00

In view of the front burner status granted to energy independence, the mayors of the nation have issued calls upon the federal government to insure that climate protection does not become "a poor stepchild." After all, the two are related.At a recent meeting, the mayors have called for $4 billion in an Energy and Environmental Blog Grant to help cities combat global warming. In addition to

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-9724469672456259202007-01-26T09:28:00.000-08:002007-01-26T09:29:43.395-08:00

What is "expanded recycling?"To governmental agencies and utilities "expanded recycling" means changing regulations so we can move more trash from the black bin into the blue bin... or making more pre-sorted pickups available from multi-family dwellings (apartment buildings and condos). Some (Californian's Against Wastes and other environmental groups) see it as reducing the source of waste -

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-79979124558691841952007-01-22T21:18:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:12.314-08:00

The U.S. Department of Energy has an educational service operated by its Energy Information Agency. Since most adults are a lost cause, they have a spritely and simply written lesson site called the "Energy Kid's Page". If you are a science teacher of any age, you might want to direct your students to this reference site. If you want to bone up on how far educators will have to go to turn novices

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-74154922660360074772007-01-21T08:45:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:46:50.185-08:00

The real, gritty work involved in carrying out what is probably the biggest project in the history of state regulation has begun. - Daniel Weintraub Here's a challenge that may put a practical halt to the enforcement of the far-reaching Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.The legislators who passed the bill are displeased with how Governor Schwarzenegger intends to bring companies into

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-19483657814576675092007-01-21T08:42:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:45:15.084-08:00

"Business as usual" could could have serious long-term consequences for global energy consumption and carbon emissions. According to a report released by PriceWaterhouse-Coopers (PwC) last month, global carbon emissions from fossil fuels are going to more than double by the year 2050 unless a number of significant policy changes are enacted soon to deploy technological emission reduction

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-21632499909083639182007-01-21T08:41:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:42:22.505-08:00

Now that the landmark California Global Warming Solutions Act has been signed, it is time for the state legislature to pass bills that will enable AB32 to be implemented.Who will execute the act's provisions? Turns out, it will fall primarily on the California Air Resources Board (with the appropriate acronym "CARB").What industries will feel the heavy breath of CARB? According to Sacramento Bee

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-7176339155023482982007-01-21T08:40:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:41:11.023-08:00

Los Angeles is the nation's crucible for clean air politics. Its harbors are the nation's largest entry port for fossil fuels, automobiles, and other Pacific Rim merchandise - which are, in turn, shipped via diesel-spewing haulers and trains to the four corners of the North America. Its clogged freeways are a study in idle vehicle emissions. Its oil refineries befoul the air while the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-42982108713303049752007-01-21T08:37:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:39:54.995-08:00

On September 21st the U.S. Department of Energy released their Climate Change Technology Program (CCTP) Strategic Plan which describes broadscope measures that the D.O.E. should pursue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The publication of the study confirms that the U.S. Department of Energy considers "climate change" to be a pressing issue:As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-55846433883605909162007-01-21T08:26:00.000-08:002007-01-21T08:33:38.654-08:00

Algae - like a breath mint for smokestacks That's the title the Boston-based Christian Science Monitor headlined their story about a bioconversion technology born at MIT by rocket scientist Dr. Isaac Berzin (pictured at right). Here's writer Mark Clayton's description of the base process:Bolted onto the exhaust stacks of a brick-and-glass 20-megawatt power plant behind MIT's campus are rows of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-31453327216028576962007-01-20T23:09:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:12.484-08:00

1. What is "BIOwaste"?BIOwaste is our name for the broad spectrum of unrecycled, unconverted, uncaptured carboniferous output from worldwide agricultural, forestry, and urban sources. This includes emissions from combustion and the purges of gasification and similar process residues.2. What is the focus of the BIOwaste Blog?The fourth of four biomass conversion blogs, this one is intended to help

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-50383604518840957042007-01-20T23:01:00.000-08:002008-11-12T23:55:12.610-08:00

A chilling article posted by Knowledge@WhartonNetwork raises concern about pollution in China. It could have an unhealthful impact on the 2008 Summer Olympics. Consider this - at a recent marathon in Hong Kong:Runners coughed and gagged as they limbered up. Thick smog shrouded the Tsing Ma Bridge. Pollution index readings on this morning in February 2006 were at 149, the highest in months. Any

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-29028196396884854032007-01-20T15:18:00.000-08:002007-01-20T15:20:10.643-08:00

This is a listing of speakers at the Southern California Emerging Waste Technologies Forum held at UCLA on July 27, 2006. Almost all are in favor of RENEW L.A. and advancing R&D and deployment of CTs in California. More biographical details are available by clicking on their links.Richard Alarcon - CA State Senator Cynthia Babich – Del Amo Action CommitteeNicole Bernson - City of Los Angeles

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-41564514012570354682007-01-20T15:07:00.001-08:002007-01-20T15:07:48.325-08:00

If the recent passage of California AB32 (the "Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006") proved anything it is that there is considerable interest in revising the way the state addresses air quality, energy supply, and waste pollution problems. One hundred years of relying on fossil fuel combustion as the accepted energy paradigm has resulted in wasted energy and a super-consuming culture in which

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-56023795799002356102007-01-20T15:05:00.000-08:002007-01-20T15:06:06.952-08:00

On September 10th I drafted an article about a plan to use plasma-arc technology to gasify waste in St. Lucie County, Florida titled FLORIDA: County to Vaporize Trash. In addition to writing my concerns about the emissions from the process, I listed five questions that I wanted to have clarified by the developer, Geoplasma of Atlanta, Georgia. I sent the list to the president of Geoplasma,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-40989391878622766902007-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:002007-01-20T15:05:26.093-08:00

Using an approach that sounds a little like "Flash Gordon meets Waste Management", a company in Georgia is using "high heat" (10,000°F.) to vaporize municipal solid waste (MSW). Sounds great as far as it goes but I have four technical questions:1. How much energy does it use?2. What will be the source of the plasma arc energy?3. What does the energy source emit?4. Is the high heat of the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-32464017503045775562007-01-20T15:03:00.000-08:002007-01-20T15:04:08.149-08:00

A search for a current comparison of waste disposal options uncovered this report by the Recycling Council of Alberta Canada. It describes in considerable detail the various waste treatment options available for typical municipalities of 20,000, 80,000, and 200,000 inhabitants. ---------------------------- MSW Options: Integrating Organics Management and Residual Treatment/DisposalRecycling

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-25917094533254370592007-01-20T15:02:00.001-08:002007-01-20T15:02:52.968-08:00

One of the common objections to the use of gasification to effect waste-to-energy conversions is the irrational claim that "gasification is just another name for incineration." This is an old, false distortion of fact relating to controversy surrounding the use of waste-to-energy incinerators and the "Keep America Beautiful" program of the 1980's. As related by Ratical.Org:In 1980 DOE projected

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-27907905455861142942007-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:50:17.443-08:00

At last month's Southern California Emerging Waste Technologies Forum State Senator David Roberti (ret.) made a statement about the duplicity of state policy on "diversion credits" for specific forms of recycling. I had heard Roberti make a similar statement at a hearing last November but hadn't researched it. Here is what I have learned since... What are "diversion credits"? In 1989, Assembly

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-43068064232940215402007-01-20T07:48:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:49:09.384-08:00

There is a battle raging in the halls of Sacramento over the future of waste disposal in California. In many ways identification of the true guardians of waste disposal environmentalism is being brought into question.The crux of the debate concerns overdue changes in state regulations defining "conversion technologies" (CTs) and their place in the current waste hierarchy. The outcome of the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-48204072326109040022007-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:48:03.820-08:00

The Los Angeles City Council hired URS Corporation to make a study, HEALTH IMPACTS OF CONVERSION TECHNOLOGIES IN CALIFORNIA, to identify technologies that would help it reach its landfill diversion goals through conversion technologies. That study was released late last year.A followup story written by Mr. Predpall has appeared in a recent issue of MSW Management magazine. Within its content is a

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-31894314738138524002007-01-20T07:46:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:47:06.971-08:00

On July 27, 2006, the UCLA Hydrogen Energy Research Consortium played host to roughly 250 area “stakeholders” at The Southern California Emerging Waste Technologies Forum. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, State Senator Richard Alarcon, Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, Councilman Greig Smith, and the City and County agencies responsible for public works and sanitation were among the sponsors. The list of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-48651824724575030732007-01-20T07:45:00.001-08:002007-01-20T07:45:37.054-08:00

With its huge population and guilt-free car culture, California is the world's largest consumer of gasoline. By state regulation, 5.67% of the fuel pumped is actually ethanol - which is used as an oxygenate for gasoline. As a result, California is also the world's biggest consumer of ethanol - closing in on 1 Billion gallons per year. As a rich agricultural state, one would think that there would

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-71834190847519615562007-01-20T07:43:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:45:07.144-08:00

As we near the break point of our oil dependency, a new vision for America's energy future is emerging. Two recently released reports focus on the employment implications of an invigorated changeover from fossil fuels to renewable fuels and green energy systems. New industries will emerge from this transition. Old skill-sets will be applied in new ways. As energy production decentralizes to

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-13044298385129103232007-01-20T07:40:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:41:00.940-08:00

California is the big prize in alternative fuel production facility deployment. Not only does it have the largest commuter market, but, as it has demonstrated so many times before, California defines trends that spread throughout the country and then the world. You almost have to expect that the tipping point for any meaningful fuel paradigm shift will have to come through California. That is why

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-51686044537771660872007-01-20T07:38:00.002-08:002007-01-20T07:39:03.771-08:00

As part of a learning expedition for Greig Smith's R.E.N.E.W. LA Plan, members of the L.A. City Council journeyed to Fayetteville, Arkansas to examine a pilot plant demonstration of a revolutionary technology for the conversion of waste-to-ethanol. BRI's process utilizes bacteria to convert gasified syngas into ethanol. Excerpt from the report are below. Pictures of the facility are contained in

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-21587241608053961502007-01-20T07:36:00.001-08:002007-01-20T07:36:50.559-08:00

This Report represents a culmination of 18 months of research conducted in conjunction with URS Corporation. It is the first step in the effort to develop a demonstration conversion technology facility in Southern California, in order to obtain real-world data on the impacts and benefits of these technologies. Conversion Technologies are an array of emerging technologies capable of managing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-30737984826058519342007-01-20T07:32:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:34:09.863-08:00

On July 27, 2006, the UCLA Hydrogen Energy Research Consortium played host to roughly 250 area “stakeholders” at The Southern California Emerging Waste Technologies Forum. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, State Senator Richard Alarcon, Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, Councilman Greig Smith, and the City and County agencies responsible for public works and sanitation were among the sponsors. The list of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6842190832103550596.post-14654692192891946682007-01-20T07:15:00.000-08:002007-01-20T07:19:46.690-08:00

Councilmember Greig Smith's loud and popular campaign against the continuance of Sunshine Canyon landfill contract in his district and his bold R.E.N.E.W. LA proposal is finally getting traction in Los Angeles politics. Within the current week (February 12-18, 2006) the L.A. Times has reported L.A. Could Divert Trash From Dump, that the L.A. Council is considering diverting a substantial portion

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0