Biomass

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A couple of years ago, Dr William Moomaw of Tufts mentioned a regional scale experiment with an all-renewable grid in Germany.  I’ve been curious about that project since then.  Today, I did a little googling and found a seven-minute youtube called “Fully renewable: biogas + wind + solar”

Dr Jurgen Schmid at the University of Kassel, Department of Efficient Energy Conversion is the spokesperson from this December 2007 video.  The system described is wind with pumped hydro storage and grid scale solar with methane from biomass (corn biofuels).  When the sun isn’t out in the South, the wind may be blowing in the North.  When there’s too much wind, it can be used to pump water into reservoirs that will provide hydroelectricity days or weeks later.  When the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing, biomass can be burned or converted to methane.  They say Germany can have a 100% renewable grid by 2050.  Dr Schmid, along with John Sievers, Stefan Faulstich, Mathias Puchta, Ingo Stadler, is the co-author of “Long-term perspectives for balancing fluctuating renewable energy sources” (pdf alert:  http://desire.iwes.fraunhofer…. details the steps necessary to get to a fully renewable grid.

Continue reading Fully Renewable Grid
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The Stop Spewing Carbon Ballot Campaign announced today a major victory in the fight against biomass incinerators promoted as “clean energy” and as a result will not put its question on the statewide ballot for November 2010.

“Today Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles issued a letter* saying his agency will change our state laws to bring them in line with current science and public policy requiring biomass incinerators to meet strict standards for forest protection, greenhouse gas emissions, and efficiency,” said Meg Sheehan, Chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon Ballot Campaign. “This is a groundbreaking development that means an end to commercial biomass electric power plants in Massachusetts. Science confirms that the greenhouse gas emissions of burning forests are worse than

coal and there’s no reason to subsidize this form of energy,” Sheehan said.

Secretary Bowles’ letter says that to meet greenhouse targets the state should change “the incentives we provide biomass energy under the Renewable Portfolio Standard.” The Stop Spewing Campaign collected over 120,000 signatures from Massachusetts’ voters to end biomass subsidies. Sheehan said, “this sent a clear message to Governor Patrick. Ending renewable energy credits for dirty incinerators was the central goal of our ballot question and we have won.” The state also announced that construction and

demolition debris incinerators will not get renewable energy credits, another victory for the Campaign.

“Our coalition of social justice, public health, environmental, forestry advocates and fiscal watchdogs have won a victory for the citizens of Massachusetts, the nation, and indeed the planet,” Sheehan said. “Citizens have let government officials know they don’t want their taxpayer and ratepayer money spent on these toxic incinerators disguised as “clean energy.”

“We will continue to work to prevent air pollution impacts from potential smaller biomass projects and for a state wide ban on construction and demolition debris burning. We also intend to pressure the administration to tighten the biomass regulations even further than what was put forth today to prevent all destructive bio-energy schemes and false solutions to climate change. We will *want to make sure that so called “clean energy” projects don’t pollute the air, the water, and destroy our forests,” said Sheehan.

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Contact: Meg Sheehan,Chair,Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign tel. 508-259-9154

meg(at)ecolaw(dot) biz Go to: www.stopspewingcarbon.org

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* Bowles’ letter below:

Continue reading Biomess Victory in Massachusetts!
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