[Gasification] Britain to build world's biggest biomass plant

[Roger Samson]

I had a number of inquiries regarding the statement below- how we get the
biomass quality of grasses to have low aerosols so its easy to burn in most
any coal combustion appliance without any risk of corrosion or clinker. Here
in Quebec and Ontario what we do is mow the grass at late maturity just
prior to fall freeze up and leave it in a windrow the width of the baler
pickup. Because the grass is low in N (0.3-.5%)and it remains on the ground
in a very cold or frozen state we get virtually no decomposition. Windrowing
it in the fall speeds soil drying in the spring and allows us an early
spring harvest of dry material. Its that simple provided you have the right
climate. It works on clays but I think it works best on well drained sandy
soils.

I think it could work in most parts of Canada, the northern US, and
northern/eastern europe. Our observation is that field breakage and material
loss (of seed heads and leaves) from winds happens only in March/april when
the material is extremely dry. If I was in a  more southerly location I
might try mowing it midwinter to minimize the length of time the material is
on the ground. People in the tropics might soak the grass in irrigation
canals in the dry season and then dry it to achieve the same effect without
causing seriosu degradation issues. 

You don't need  a lot of leaching, best results are with thin stemmed
materials, as they leach more readily and dry more readily. I hope to have a
web cam hooked 24hrs per day to show the grass pellet heating system working
all winter to heat my house this year with grass pellets in a gasifier
pellet stove.  

regards

Roger Samson

Executive Director

REAP-Canada

Box 125 Centennial Centre CCB13

Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9

T: (514) 398-7743

T: (514) 398-7972

E: rsamson at reap-canada.com

W: www.reap-canada.com 

> We have developed
> production systems for these grasses that produce potassium and 
> chlorine levels that are not appreciably different than
> #1 quality wood pellets. Our grass pellets  cause no clinker or 
> corrosion problems. We have resolved the historical problems that have 
> plagued the use of herbaceous biomass feedstocks as a combustion 
> material.