New York Energy & Environmental Funders

Hosting Sponsor:
Dickstein Shapiro LLP - NEW LOCATION!

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. There are approximately 130 coal plants in danger of being shut down after 2012 because of the high cost of compliance with emissions standards. The E-A-R-T-H biofuel would enable many of them 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 of, 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 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: Peter R. Smith, Managing Director for the Climate Change, Energy and the Environment Group for the Pataki-Cahill Group, and former President of NYSERDA, will discuss the potential of biomass in our energy future, and how E-A-R-T-H might fit into that future.

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Date: Friday, December 12, 2008
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 am
Place: Dickstein Shapiro LLP - NEW LOCATION!
1177 Avenue of the Americas, 47th Floor
(between 45th and 46th Streets on the West side of Sixth Avenue)

Security: Tell the personnel at the security desk in the ground floor lobby that you re attending the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. meeting at Torys LLP. You will need personal ID. They will issue a pass.

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 – Company presentation by Sector Expert: Peter R. Smith, Managing Director for the Climate Change, Energy and the Environment Group for the Pataki-Cahill Group
9:30 to 10:00 – Discussion and Networking

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

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

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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.

Peter R. Smith serves as the Managing Director for the Climate Change, Energy and the Environment Group for the Pataki-Cahill Group. Smith joined Pataki-Cahill after serving for nearly four years as the President and CEO of the New York State Energy and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Mr. Smith brings more than 30 years of experience in the energy field

The Pataki-Cahill Group, founded by former New York State Governor George E. Pataki and John P. Cahill, is a strategic consulting and project development firm dedicated to helping business and governmental interests maximize opportunities and limit risk in addressing climate change and the related issues of developing clean and renewable fuels and deploying innovative energy and environmental practices and technologies. The Pataki-Cahill Group has a wide range of clients, ranging from large clean energy funds, private utilities, electric generators, and "clean tech" start-up companies to large commercial real estate developers.

While leading NYSERDA, Peter oversaw a $400 million dollar budget dedicated to research, economic development and deployment of progressive energy programs and technologies throughout the State of New York. Mr. Smith, as President and CEO, helped establish nearly 3,000 energy efficiency, conservation, renewable resource, and economic development and research projects throughout New York State. Mr. Smith also serves on the Boards of the Alliance to Save Energy, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and the Public Sustainability Partnership. He is the former chairman of the National Association of State Energy Officials and the former chairman of the Gas Technology Institute Public Interest Advisory Committee.

Mr. Smith has a Masters of Public Administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller School of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany and a Bachelor of Arts in History from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York.

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Advisory Board

Mark Austin, Chandler-Reed
John Cusack, Gifford Park Associates
Ira Rubenstein, CEEP, Inc.
Gelvin Stevenson, Ph.D., CEEP, Inc.

NYE&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 NYE&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 October 2001, New York Energy & Environmental Funders (NYE&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) and Investors Circle. NYE&EF provides networking, information, and other services to investors interested in energy and environmental companies. NYE&EF activities are produced by the Center for Economic and Environmental Partnership, Inc. (CEEP) in furtherance of its educational mission.

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