Washington DC Energy & Environmental Funders

Hosting Sponsor:
Andrews Kurth LLP

The Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc., will sponsor its next Washington, DC Energy & Environmental Funders’ meeting on Friday November 7, 2008.

Raw biomass has several shortcomings as a combustion fuel-low energy content and density; high alkalinity; high gathering and transportation cost; high water content; and a short shelf life. Enhanced Agricultural Renewable and Technologies Holdings (E-A-R-T-H) has developed a technology that improves on these shortcomings by upgrading a wide variety of raw biomass material into a fuel that is, among other things, suitable for co-firing with or replacing sub-bituminous coal in existing coal fired power plants. By replacing only 30% of the sub-bituminous coal with E-AR-T-H Biofuel, the overall emissions from the power plant are lowered to the same levels as or lower than a natural gas fired plant. This could enable many of the 130 coal plants in danger of being shutdown after 2012 because of the high cost of compliance with emissions standards, to continue operating by meeting those standards in a cost-effective manner. This could also enable those plants to earn revenue from the renewable power markets.

Other opportunities for this technology include improving the energy characteristics of a wide variety of biofuels, from wood chips and other energy crops to agricultural waste. The process could also improve the yields and overall economics of algae as a source of biodiesel and biomass fuel. Another value of the process is its use to recycle water and nutrients that become embedded in biomass after certain industrial processes, e.g. sludge.

The process uses proven, available technology and equipment to pre-process, squeeze the water out and then compact raw biomass to between 60% and 20% of its beginning volume. This is a major advantage, because in the direct burning of biomass in a furnace, about 24% of the energy content is expended evaporating the moisture in the fuel. That moisture also reduces the efficiency of the boiler. Thermal drying of biomass takes even more energy and leaves alkalinity levels high. This water removal and compaction also increases the energy content and the carbon density of the fuel.

The first bench scale biomass compactor successfully demonstrated that the process worked, and permitted refining of the balance between pressure, time and required energy. It also produced samples for laboratory analysis, and distribution to potential customers.

A fully automated "mid-scale" processor rated at eight or more tons of product per day is scheduled for completion by December 2008 and will be installed on a mobile platform. This will provide data to support the detailed design of the full scale processor to be rated at 37 tons/hour input material. It will also produce enough fuel for test burns of a variety of raw biomass converted to E-A-R-T-H fuel. The company plans to move this processor to sources of raw biomass, where there is a demonstrated customer interest. E-A-R-T-H has spent over $1 million and has outstanding obligations as of August 1, 2008 of about $800,000 for the mid-scale processor. $11 million more is needed to get to the first production/revenue generating system by late-2009.

In addition to producing a renewable energy coal substitute (with no mercury and little or no sulfur), E-A-R-T-H fuel serves as a more efficient feedstock for producing ethanol, bio-diesel and other high-value products. Moreover, E-A-R-T-H fuel will meet or help achieve RPS compliance and generate significant carbon credits, while producing valuable by-products such as plant nutrients and fertilizer and significant quantities of potable water for recycling back into the agricultural process. The company has patents pending on the process, the equipment, and the "E-A-R-T-H fuel" itself.

Dave Shaffer, President & CEO, and Robert Hanfling will discuss the development of the technology, its wide range of applications, and the progress the company is making in the execution of their business plan.

Sector Expert: Bill Holmberg, New Uses Council and the Biomass Coordinating Council, will place the E-A-R-T-H fuel in the context of current developments of in the generation and use of biofuels across multiple platforms.

Date: Friday, November 7, 2008
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 am
Place: Andrews Kurth LLP
1350 I Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
202-662-2700

Nearest Metro stop: The building is between 13th and 14th Street. You can exit at McPherson Square and cross the street to the building or exit Metro Center on 13th Street (and G Street) and walk up to 13th and I, where you make a left and cross the street.

Cost: $50 if you pre-register.
Cash or checks (payable to CEEP) accepted. Must register or cancel by 4pm the previous day. No shows will be invoiced.
$60 if you pay at the door.
See below for Annual Registration opportunities and other important conditions.

Agenda:
8:00 to 8:20 – Networking with Members
8:30 to 9:00 – Presentation by David Shaffer, President & CEO, and Robert Hanfling, COO, E-A-R-T-H
9:00 to 9:30 – Presentation by Sector Expert: Bill Holmberg, New Uses Council and the Biomass Coordinating Council)
9:30 to 10:00 – Discussion and Networking

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the next DC Funders meeting.

If you have any questions about registration or need more information about the program, please contact Gelvin Stevenson at gelvin@optonline.net.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

David Shaffer, President & CEO, Merrimac, Inc., joined Merrimac in 1998 and was appointed President and CEO in 2004. Under Mr. Shaffer's guidance, Merrimac continues to expand its client base and annual revenue. He has over 30 years of experience in project management, design, implementation and start-up of instrumentation & control (I&C) and electrical systems for the power industry. His electrical and control system experience includes system design, implementation and start-up systems for fossil, combined cycle and simple cycle nuclear power plants. Mr. Shaffer developed the concept of an integrated project management system for the nuclear, D&D and general construction markets. Prior to joining Merrimac, Mr. Shaffer was Vice President of Delphinus Engineering, a company he co-founded in 1994 and built to over six million dollars in annual revenue.

Robert Hanfling has over 40 years of diversified private and public sector energy experience. He was significantly involved in both domestic and international energy programs including nuclear, synthetic fuels, oil, gas and electricity production. His other experience includes venture capital management, bankruptcy trustee, disposition of nuclear weapons material and business development.Mr. Hanfling was in the Ford and Carter administrations at the FEA and DOE, and on the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board during the Clinton administrations, serving as Chairman during the first term.

Chairman
New Uses Council and the Biomass Coordinating Council
ACORE

Bill Holmberg began his military career as an enlisted Marine during the Second World War. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and holds advanced degrees in Personnel Administration, Soviet Affairs and the Russian Language. He served for twenty-one years in the Marine Corps, nineteen of which were as an officer, and medically retired as Lieutenant Colonel. He served as Aide to two Chiefs of Naval Operations and served on the Joint Staff. Mr. Holmberg brings an additional thirteen years of experience in the federal government supporting sustainable agriculture and energy technologies, with a focus on biofuels. While at the EPA, FEO, FEA, and DOE, he helped to pioneer the ethanol and biodiesel industries, organic farming and integrated pest management. He retired from the federal government at the Senior Executive Service level and spent an additional twenty-one years in the private sector, managing small businesses and associations relating to biofuels, including the New Uses Council and the Biomass Coordinating Council.

In addition to being a founding member of the Sustainable Energy Coalition (SEC), which makes major contributions to the Senate and House Renewable and Energy Efficiency (RE & EE) Caucus, Mr. Holmberg is a member of core group promoting the annual Energy Expos on the Hill in concert with the SEC and the Senate and House RE & EE Caucus. He has been key member of the organizing committee of the Environmental and Clean Energy Inaugural Balls since 1989. . Mr. Holmberg's current focus is on sustainability of biomass feedstocks for the production of biofuels, biopower and biobased products including environmental enhancement, greenhouse gas stabilization, and economic development.

Advisory Board
Zachary Alexander, ebT Design, LLC
Bob Lawrence, Bob Lawrence & Associates
Mark Riedy, Andrews Kurth LLC
Ira Rubenstein, Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc.
Gelvin Stevenson, Ph.D., Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc.
Michael Ware, Advance Capital Markets, Inc.

DCE&EF Pricing Policy
1. Cost, with pre-registration up to 4pm the day before the meeting: $50.
2. No-shows will be invoiced.
3. Cancellations allowed until 4pm the day before the meeting.
4. Cost, with registration at the door the day of the meeting: $60.
5. All paid registrants will be emailed any information made available electronically for that meeting.
6. An Annual Registration for DCE&EF can be purchased for $400. It will provide admittance to all regularly scheduled meetings held during a 12-month period.
7. Annual registrants will be emailed any information made available electronically for any of the regularly scheduled meetings covered by their annual registration.

Formed in February 2004, DC Energy & Environmental Funders (DCE&EF) is a joint service of Investors Circle, the Energy & Environmental Capital Network (ECN), the Environmental Business Association of New York State, Inc. (EBA/NYS), Investors Circle and Cleantech Venture Network LLC (Cleantech). DCE&EF provides networking, information, and other services to investors interested in energy and environmental companies. DCE&EF activities are produced by the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. (CEEP) in furtherance of its educational mission.

Click here to return to the CEEP, Inc. home page.