[Bioconversion] Conserve -- Even the Air Force Wants to Cut Oil's Role

[Dick Glick]

Hello --

It's time for renewable natural gas produced from biomass -- it can't be done inexpensively -- that is to convert methane to diesel fuel for planes and vehicles, but the technology is long known -- the German's used a version of the technology -- first in WW I than WW II -- to produce liquid fuels -- from coal.

Now, (E-Mail) -- today's, June 18, 2007, New York Times in article by Don Phillips: "Air Force Hopes to Cut Oil's Role in Fuel ":
  "The United States Air Force has decided to push development of a new type of fuel to power its bombers and fighters, mixing conventional jet fuel with fuels from non-petroleum sources that could eventually limit military dependence on imported oil."
Of course, the Air Force's usual approach involves:
  "...... a contest between fuel refiners and other companies to produce a jet fuel composed of no more than 50 percent petroleum. The plan is to be announced at the Paris Air Show by the secretary of the Air Force, Michael W. Wynne; the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Marion C. Blakey; and other American officials.  "The goal is to certify the entire fleet by 2010 with a 50-50 mix," said Paul Bollinger, an Air Force official who is working on a shift to synthetic fuels."
The answer starts with renewable natural gas -- as, above, the technology is available -- major petroleum types know how to do it -- it's probably expensive -- but, (Email Article) www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk on Wednesday 13, June 2007 -- "Greener Diesel: Step on the gas? Sure..."
  "Diesel from natural gas is a cleaner alternative to fuel made from oil, ....."  "In the shorter term, diesel will remain a critical option. And especially if that diesel can be produced from something other than oil."
As I've indicated -- Exxon in Qatar stopped -- saying this conversion is too expensive, but:
  "Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) technology allows high-grade diesel to be produced from natural gas. The technology has been used commercially since 1993, when Shell opened a plant in Malaysia, but production has only just gained momentum.  Last year, Sasol-Chevron opened a $1bn (£500m) plant in Qatar and, in 2009, the company will open a second facility in Nigeria. Shell is also building a plant in Qatar and by 2015, it's estimated GTL will account for about 4 per cent of the world's diesel."
To be sure, it's expensive, renewable natural gas is the same as the simply converted component -- absolute major component -- in natural gas -- methane.  
  "..... (from Phillips NYT, above) GTL relies on a ready supply of natural gas. In the first stage of production, natural gas and water combine in a reforming process to produce syngas. The syngas is then put through the "Fischer Tropsch" process to become syncrude. That can then be distilled in a similar way to traditional crude oil to produce diesel. 

And the time has come -- not just from the Air Force: 

  "..... At the annual conference of the International Air Transport Association in Vancouver, British Columbia, this month, many airline officials acknowledged that they had failed to persuade environmentalists and politicians in Europe that they were doing enough to clean up flying. Airlines until now have argued that the fuel efficiency of modern aircraft could stabilize emissions of global warming gases despite the rising volume of air traffic. In Vancouver, they recognized a need to switch tack. "Climate change will limit our future," said Giovanni Bisignani, the association's chief executive, "until we change our approach from technical to strategic.""

Ok, most everyone agrees the time has come for Gas-To-Liquid -- GTL -- How does renewable natural gas enter the equation?

Answer: Wherever renewable natural gas, RNG, is produced from biomass and can be conveniently and properly introduced into a pipeline with that probably true in most of the areas in the United States where the maximum can be produced"
  1.. RNG substitutes for non-renewable nature gas and is delivered to pipeline customers
  2.. The non-renewable natural gas is sent to a central GTL facility -- petroleum industry controlled and converted
  3.. In the long run -- the RNG replaces non-renewable at all stages
  4.. The U. S. potential is equivalent to at least 11 quads -- energy basis value -- of non-renewable natural gas.
  5.. Everyone benefits -- carbon dioxide emission is drastically reduced and air travel tends toward renewably fueled flying!
And what is the Corporation for Future Resources compensation -- CFR involvement and technology in this operation will be through a not-for-profit corporation -- with all compensation directed toward the Foundation for Future Resources!

Best, Dick Glick
www.CorpFutRes.com