Peter,
It is a highly functional gasifier that makes two good products – gas and biochar - in variable proportions. As you know it is a challenge just to sell a gasifier in energy markets that are dominated by low cost natural gas. I had previously understood that the 200 tpd gasifier referred to in the article was a pilot facility that was owned and operated by ICM. However, it appears that it might have also been operated on trial by the county as a means of wood waste reduction and the term ran out. That’s pure speculation but it was not generating heat or power for a customer. Tom From: Gasification [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peter Mason Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2012 6:35 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Gasification] Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7 Just curious - is the ICM technology based on gasification or pyrolysis? Maybe this just highlights the fact that you cannot expect any single technology to deliver multiple outcomes. Peter Mason. A problem well defined is a problem half solved and always start with the end in mind. Mason & Associates. Renewable Energy Project Developers. [email protected] > -----Original Message----- > From: Gasification [mailto:gasification- > [email protected]] On Behalf Of gasification- > [email protected] > Sent: December-21-12 8:01 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Gasification Digest, Vol 28, Issue 7 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:44:03 +0000 (UTC) > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected], Tom Miles <[email protected]>, > [email protected] > Cc: [email protected], biochar-policy > <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Gasification] [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a > close > Message-ID: > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]%0b> > .ca.mail.comcast.net> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > > Tom, Lists, Bert > > Because this sounded pretty bad news for biochar, I have done a little > looking around. I eventually talked to the key individual at ICM - Dr. > Bert Bennett, who has agreed to comment on your news story below. > > Bert gave a very informative plenary about this specific ICM plant at > Sonoma. Anyone can watch a good 15 minute video found at: > http://2012.biochar.us.com/conference-videos > > I also found a shorter similar 5 minute audio from 2011 > http://domesticfuel.com/2011/05/10/icm-spotlights-biomass-gasification- > at-conference/ > > There are also plenty of news releases on the facility - all I saw were > very complementary. > > Because Bert has agreed to give some more background, I won't say more > except to say this should be by no means the end of the biochar story > from this 350 person company, that is operating worldwide. > > Ron > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tom Miles" <[email protected]> > To: [email protected], "Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and > gasification" <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 11:08:46 AM > Subject: [biochar] ICM gasifier project comes to a close > > > The article below demonstrates how difficult it Is to convert urban > residues to heat, power and biochar in today?s economy. > > > I observed that technically the ICM gasifier worked very well. The ICM > gasifier can take wood, straw or corn stover and convert it to gas and > biochar in various proportions. It makes a good quality biochar that > has been tested in various locations. I was impressed by the fuel > flexibility. > > The economic challenges are manifold: if it is not feasible to generate > and sell heat or power and biochar at one location then you can?t > generate the cash flow necessary to run the plant. We hope that Bert > Bennett and his team at ICM can find a suitable customer. > > Tom > > ICM gasifier project comes to a close > > By Ashley Bergner Newton Kansan > > December 20. 2012 11:00AM > > www.thekansan.com/article/20121220/NEWS/121229996 > > > The decommissioning of ICM's prototype gasifier at the Harvey County > Transfer Station marks an end ? or at least a postponement ? of the > county's vision of a viable waste-to-energy system. > At Monday's county commission meeting, officials announced the project > would be coming to a close, and within six months, all the equipment > will be taken down. > > "It would bring to a halt our hopes ... of what would be a waste-to- > energy facility," said John Waltner, county administrator. > ICM?s Biomass Gasification System, also known as a ?gasifier,? burns > trash and converts it to synthetic gas, which can be used to generate > power in industrial and commercial settings. ICM tested thousands of > tons of different types of waste, which are referred to as > ?feedstocks.? Feedstocks tested included wood chips, wheat straw and > refuse-derived fuel (this includes junk mail, cardboard and other paper > products thrown away). > > Using a gasifier to convert Harvey County trash into energy had once > appeared to be a possibility. The Harvey County facility likely would > have needed to burn 90 tons of trash per day, a number officials had > thought the county could reach. > ICM plans to try to market the technology in a different area, perhaps > overseas. > Despite the county's disappointment the project wasn't ultimately > viable here in Harvey County, they said their experience working with > ICM was positive. > > "It really has been just a terrific exercise for us," Waltner said. > > Commission chair Marge Roberson agreed."It feels really good that > Harvey County had the tenacity to push to take a good, hard look at > doing something with trash other than putting it in the ground," she > said. "I absolutely do not regret any moment we've spent with this > partnership." > > Waltner does believe the technology will be prove to be viable in the > future. > > "They're going to be successful," he said of the company. "This is > something that's going to happen."
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