White House to crack down on methane pollution | Grist

http://grist.org/politics/white-house-to-crack-down-on-methane-polluti

Why Russia Chooses Natural Gas (CNG) Over Plug-In Vehicles

It's cost. End of story. Okay, we'll fill it in with some details. Russia is believed to be the world's second largest "producer" of natural gas, behind only the US. Thus, natural gas is cheap in Russia. Reports vary, but it's believed that natural gas costs roughly $2 less than gasoline per comparative (the cost [...]
http://insideevs.com/why-russia-chooses-natural-gas-cng-over-plug-in-v

Global warming causing Methane Hydrate Production Technologies to be Tested on Alaska's North Slope

The Dept of Energy has announced a "Test" between themselves, Japan Oil, and ConocoPhillips for "producing methane gas from hydrate deposits on the Alaska North Slope".  This is probably a bit arcane but a) it's a sign of impending peak oil effects, b) continued extraction of fossil fuels which will result in more emissions of previously sequestered carbon, c) involve questionable technologies to scrape stuff off the ocean floor, d) doesn't contribute to moving to properly clean energy technologies

We should start with what is a "methane hydrate"?  Methane clathrate, also called methane hydrate, hydromethane, methane ice, "fire ice" and natural gas hydrate, is a solid clathrate compound (more specifically, a clathrate hydrate) in which a large amount of methane is trapped within a crystal structure of water, forming a solid similar to ice. .. The worldwide amounts of methane bound in gas hydrates is conservatively estimated to total twice the amount of carbon to be found in all known fossil fuels on Earth. (see wikipedia link below)  Basically that means it's methane frozen into ice.  One interesting thing is you can touch a match to this methane ice and set it on fire.

It occurs in shallow waters, both in "deep sedimentary structures" (e.g. underneath the sea floor), and as outcroppings on the sea floor.  They also occur in deep antarctic ice cores, indicating that 800,000 years ago Earth's atmosphere had high methane concentrations.  It's primarily an underground phenomena (according to wikipedia), can occur off-shore in continental shelf areas, as well as on-shore.  The hydrates deposits may conceal deeper methane deposits.

Methane is basically identical to what we call "Natural Gas".  Methane is a very serious greenhouse gas, and is a carbon based hydrocarbon.

In other words, this is a fossil fuel.  Extracting these methane hydrates will do all the same things we're concerned about in other uses of fossil fuels.  It means releasing methane that's currently sequestered underground, releasing the carbon into the ecosphere, and will continue contributions to releases of greenhouse gasses known to influence global warming climate change.

This is related to the effect in Siberia and other arctic tundra areas, where the frozen tundra is melting leading to methane releases.  The "clathrate gun hypothesis" suggests that releases of methane from melting tundra will lead to runaway warming.  I wonder if the purposeful release of methane from the hydrate deposits would also trigger this chathrate gun ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_clathrate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrate_gun_hypothesis

Methane Hydrate Production Technologies to be Tested on Alaska's North Slope

Washington, DC — The U.S. Department of Energy, the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, and ConocoPhillips will work together to test innovative technologies for producing methane gas from hydrate deposits on the Alaska North Slope.

The collaborative testing will take place under the auspices of a Statement of Intent for Cooperation in Methane Hydrates signed in 2008 and extended in 2011 by DOE and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. The production tests are the next step in both U.S. and Japanese national efforts to evaluate the response of gas hydrate reservoirs to alternative gas hydrate production concepts. The tests will provide critical information to inform potential future extended-duration tests.

 

The tests will utilize the "Iġnik Sikumi" (Iñupiaq for "fire in the ice") gas hydrate field trial well, a fully instrumented borehole that was installed in the Prudhoe Bay region by ConocoPhillips and the Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory earlier this year.

 

Methane hydrate consists of molecules of natural gas trapped in an open rigid framework of water molecules. It occurs in sediments within and below thick permafrost in Arctic regions, and in the subsurface of most continental waters with a depth of ~1,500 feet or greater. Many experts believe it represents a potentially vast source of global energy, and DOE scientists have studied methane hydrate resource potential and production technologies for more than two decades.

 

The current test plans call for roughly 100 days of continuous operations from January to March 2012. Tests will include the initial field trial of a technology that involves injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane-hydrate-bearing sandstone formations, resulting in the swapping of CO2 molecules for methane molecules in the solid-water hydrate lattice, the release of methane gas, and the permanent storage of CO2 in the formation. This field experiment will be an extension of earlier successful tests of the technology conducted by ConocoPhillips and their research partners in a laboratory setting.

 

Following the exchange tests, the team will conduct a 1-month evaluation of an alternative methane-production method called depressurization. This process involves pumping fluids out of the borehole to reduce pressure in the well, which results in dissociation of methane hydrate into methane gas and liquid water. The method was successfully demonstrated during a 1-week test conducted by Japan and Canada in northwestern Canada in 2008.

 

- End of Techline

 

For more information, contact: Jenny Hakun, FE Office of Communications, 202-586-5616, jenny.hakun@hq.doe.gov

Coal Seam Gas gets cool reception in wine country, despite compatibility claims

Coalbed methane is a form of natural gas extracted from coal beds.  When they talk about coal mines exploding due to methane, that's coalbed methane.  In some places the phrase used is "Coal Seam Gas" and is abbreviated as CSG, as is done below.

Apparently some wine-makers in Australia are up in arms about CSG operations near their wineries.  Some politicians in Australia are claiming CSG and wine-making can operate side-by-side, but the wine-makers say no-way.  They explain it this way: “One, we don’t know the impact on the agricultural land and almost everything we have seen so far is not good; second, it’s going to damage the tourism industry which is a lifeblood of wine growing areas worldwide; third, what do we do with the salt water?”

The Wikipedia for CSG explains some of the wine-makers concerns.  A CSG well is a steel pipe going underground into a coal seem, perhaps 100-1500 meters deep.  Methane and "produced water" come to the surface through the pipe.  The "produced water" had been underground, is released along with the methane gas, and often the water contains chemicals like sodium bicarbonate or chloride.  Hence, the wine-makers ask "what do we do with the salt water"?

Apparently normal practice is to put the water in evaporation ponds, use it for irrigation, or pour it into streams.  One hopes they check the salinity before pouring the water onto the land, because saline water would render the land unable to grow crops.  Apparently the evaporation ponds sometimes break, which would tend to damage neighboring lands.

Top Winemakers Refute Griner CSG Claim

Broke, NSW -- 10/31/2011 -- Two of the Hunter Valley’s leading winemakers, Bruce Tyrrell and Brian McGuigan, have strongly refuted comments by the former NSW premier, Nick Greiner, that coal seam gas production and winemaking can operate side by side.

“The two industries cannot co-exist on current information,” Mr Tyrrell said.

“One, we don’t know the impact on the agricultural land and almost everything we have seen so far is not good; second, it’s going to damage the tourism industry which is a lifeblood of wine growing areas worldwide; third, what do we do with the salt water?”

Mr McGuigan has written to a Senate committee stating that “coal seam methane gas fields and viticulture are NOT compatible land uses”.

Their remarks are the latest development in the controversy in the Hunter Valley over whether coal seam gas activity should be allowed in vineyard areas.

Mr McGuigan’s letter to the Standing Committee for Rural Affairs and Transport follows evidence given to its inquiry by Mike Moraza, a general manager with AGL Energy.

Mr Moraza had quoted Mr McGuigan as a reference point for there being no land use conflict. Mr McGuigan’s company manages the Spring Mountain vineyard on behalf of AGL Energy.

Spring Mountain was purchased by AGL Energy from Mr Greiner when AGL found that no farmers in the Broke and Bulga areas of the Hunter Valley would grant them access to their respective properties.

ln Mr Moraza's evidence, he said, “To coin the words that Brian McGuigan used, the vineyard has never looked as good as it has under AGL’s ownership."

In his letter, Mr McGuigan asserts that the current vineyard owned by AGL is not in an operating gas field, that the property merely has some exploration on it and that AGL is spending money on the vineyard to make sure it looks in excellent condition.

Spring Mountain’s previous owner, Mr Greiner, has been quoted in the Australian Financial Review as saying “The evidence from my old vineyard suggests that wine and gas can co-exist.”

Media contact:
David Browne
Wilkinson Group
02 8001 8827 / 0432 550 995

Source: Hunter Valley Protection Alliance

Chevron Energy Solutions and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany Complete Navy's First Landfill Gas Power Plant

Landfill methane is captured and converted to 1.9 MW renewable power

ALBANY, Ga., Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chevron Energy Solutions and the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany today celebrated completion of the Department of the Navy's first landfill gas cogeneration plant.

The plant produces 1.9 megawatts of renewable electric power and steam by burning landfill gas collected from a nearby landfill. Chevron Energy Solutions also completed industrial lighting retrofits in 82 buildings and expanded the existing energy management control system. When combined with the cogeneration project, these measures reduce the base's purchase of utility power and reduce its carbon emissions by 19,300 tons annually, equivalent to removing 16,000 cars from the road.

"This project offers significant benefits to the Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps and Dougherty County," said Col. Terry V. Williams, commanding officer, MCLB Albany. "Chevron Energy Solutions has helped us surpass federal renewable energy goals in our pursuit of becoming the 'greenest' Marine Corps installation in the nation. Not only does the use of this renewable power improve the base's energy security and reliability, it also creates a valuable long-term source of revenue for the County.  This is a win-win-win."

Chevron Energy Solutions developed, designed and managed construction of the plant; and will maintain the landfill gas-to-energy facility, pipeline and processing equipment. The facility houses a dual-fuel engine generator, a stack heat recovery steam generator and two dual-fuel boilers. The primary equipment can operate on landfill gas or natural gas, which provides energy security benefits. With the addition of the plant, MCLB's power portfolio now contains 19 percent renewable power, exceeding guidelines in the EPAct of 2005 and Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Chevron Energy Solutions and MCLB will co-operate the generator and steam-producing equipment. Through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), Chevron Energy Solutions arranged the financing for the project, which is repaid through the MCLB's avoided energy costs. The company also guarantees system performance for 22 years. Chevron Energy Solutions has been actively involved with MCLB Albany's energy program since 2002, and the base recently won the 2011 Secretary of the Navy Energy and Water Management Award.

"With this new plant and the investments and participation of Dougherty County, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is able to extract power from an otherwise unused renewable energy source. We are proud to work with the Navy to support this award-winning energy program and to support the important mission of the Marine Corps Logistics Base," said Jim Davis, President of Chevron Energy Solutions. "This new energy plant is funded entirely through energy savings and demonstrates how military bases and local governments can work together with private industry to meet federal mandates without increasing taxpayer costs."

Dougherty County extracts and sells the landfill gas to MCLB from the Fleming/Gaissert Road Landfill, which receives approximately 100,000 tons of municipal solid waste each year. The biological decomposition of the waste generates landfill gas that is approximately 50 percent methane by volume.

The plant is being dedicated in a ceremony today, with military, government and business officials in attendance.

About Chevron Energy Solutions

Chevron Energy Solutions develops and builds sustainable energy projects that increase energy efficiency and renewable power, reduce energy costs, and ensure reliable, high-quality energy for government, education and business facilities. Its parent, Chevron Corporation, is investing across the energy spectrum to develop energy sources for future generations by expanding the capabilities of alternative and renewable energy technologies. Chevron spent approximately $4.4 billion on developing these technologies since 2002, and expects to spend more than $2.2 billion in this area between 2009 and 2011. For more information, visit www.chevronenergy.com.

About MCLB

Located in Southwest Georgia, the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany occupies approximately 3,600 acres within Dougherty County, and is a vital strategic asset to the Marine Corps and the nation. The mission of MCLB Albany is to provide facilities, infrastructure and a range of tailored support services enabling supported commands aboard the installation to accomplish their assigned missions in support of the warfighter. MCLB is one of the area's largest employers with more than 4,700 military, civilian and contract employees. MCLB Albany's combined military and civil service payroll exceeded $152 million in fiscal year 09.  The base is focused on being environmentally conscious and continues to look for ways to decrease use of non-renewable energy sources to increase security and reduce cost. MCLB also continues to reach out to the surrounding community to share common goals and values, and build long-lasting relationships that are good for the Corps and the community.

For more information, visit www.marines.mil/unit/mclbalbany.

Contacts:
Lt. Kyle Thomas, MCLB, 229.639.7023
Ken Pimental, Chevron Energy Solutions, 415.733.4673

SOURCE  Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany; Chevron Energy Solutions
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany; Chevron Energy Solutions
Web Site: http://www.marines.mil/unit/mclbalbany

Is Natural Gas actually worse than we think?

Natural Gas is routinely thought to be better than Coal in terms of emissions footprint. Burning natural gas primarily creates carbon dioxide and water vapor (though the precise natural gas combustion products is more complex than that). Carbon dioxide and water vapor seems pretty safe because those are things our bodies exhale on every breath. The carbon dioxide is a concern, as that is carbon which did not formerly exist in the ecosphere but had been sequestered millions of years ago. However recent research points to an unacknowledged problem with natural gas - leakage.

An Energy Collective article by David Lewis quotes Dr. Robert Howarth claiming that "gas has a greater climate impact than coal."

Dr. Howarth is quoted saying "I believe they are severely underestimating the methane leakage".

The work of Dr. Drew Shindell, a senior climate scientist at NASA G.I.S.S. who published new data on methane in October 2009. Paper in Science: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/326/5953/716.full and press release: http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/20091029/

The work of Dr. Shindell's group was unable to be included in the IPCC’s AR4 because the discoveries were made after the May 2006 cutoff date.

"What happens is that as you put more methane into the atmosphere, it competes for oxidants such as hydroxyl with sulphur dioxide… More methane means less sulphate, which is reflective and thus has a cooling effect. Calculations of GWP [a way to calculate climate impact] including these gas-aerosol linkages thus substantially increase the value for methane." wrote Shindell in his article. Shindell says “although our calculations are more complete than previous studies”, he knows he hasn’t accounted for everything. But the nature of what's not known is data that increases the measurements.

Howarth's second point was that most severely underestimate leakage of natural gas. Recall that natural gas is methane, and that methane is a nasty very potent greenhouse gas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW6Fw8bLIu0 - video showing methane leakage

Methane is easy to detect - get an IR camera.

It's said there is widespread ignoring of evidence of leakage. DOE ignores accidents, and that the DOE only studied plants the industry wanted them to study. Chemosphere 35: 1365-1390 "Direct Measurement of fugitive emissions of hydrocarbons from a refinery" Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 58: 1047-1056

Compendium of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Methodologies for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. August 2009. Prepared by the URS Corp. for the American Petroleum Institute (API). API, Washington D.C.

"Substitution of natural gas for coal: Climatic effects of utility sector emissions." Climatic Change 54: 107-139

"The atmospheric cycling of radiomethane and the ‘fossil fraction’ of the methane source" Atmospheric Chem. & Physics 7: 2141-2149 (2007)

Article Reference: 

http://theenergycollective.com/david-lewis/47794/gas-bridge-nowhere

TechnoSanity #31: A look at Waste Management and landfill gas energy resources

The other day talking with a friend I noticed a Waste Management trash truck roll by and had this sudden reflection "I own a piece of that truck". I own a few shares of WM's stock, hence I "own" a tiny fraction of the truck that rolled by. She was surprised and asked "you don't do socially responsible investing, then?" While I try to select companies with socially responsible thinking my investments are not SRI pure. Take that for whatever it is worth, the stereotype attached to Waste Management is they're an evil corporation just doing the worst thing possible with the trash we throw away while painting their trucks green to pretend they are environmental stewards. Greenwashing, in other words. Turns out that stereotype isn't entirely accurate.

Turns out that Waste Management has a bunch of environmental information on their web site. While putting brochures on a web site doesn't fix the environment it shows they are at least thinking about it and recognizant of their role in environmental stewardship. I don't know how well they do as environmental stewards. However it's clear they have the potential to play a large role due to their position of receiving all the trash people throw out. That trash is potentially a resource stream which can be turned into products.

This text will be replaced

It's not just Waste Management but every "trash" company in the world, if there were technology whereby they could perform recycling on a huge scale of every item that comes into their hands it would perhaps erase the word "landfill" from our vocabulary. Unfortunately that potential isn't anywhere near being implementable. One small piece to the puzzle is the "landfill gas" that lots of waste companies, Waste Management included, is looking at tapping. This gas is a form of natural gas and can be burned just as natural gas, and being a biogas has some positive environmental benefit over fossil natural gas. It can also be liquified into a fuel to use in trucks.

On November 2, 2009, Waste Management and the Linde Group announced a project at the Altamont Landfill (near Livermore CA) which makes liquified natural gas from landfill gas, the LNG will be used to power Waste Management's trucks. They believe the plant has the capacity to produce 13,000 gallons of fuel per day, from that one plant. Given that it's from just one of Waste Management's landfills, it's mind boggling to think of the quantity of landfill gas emitted from all landfills around the country (or around the world), and how much fuel that represents.

Energy production from landfill gas turns out to be a big deal. Yahoogling for "landfill gas renewable energy" turns up lots of interesting articles and resources. The following is just a smattering of what I found.

 

Source: http://www.wm.com/wm/press/mediakit/LFGTE_Flyer.pdf

The landfill-to-energy process begins with garbage collected and brought to landfill operations. Much of it is organic and is broken down by bacteria in a natural process. Methane and other gasses known as landfill gas is produced. With special wells the gas is captured and piped to a processing facility.
After processing it is the same as natural gas and can be used the same way.

Each landfill gas "well" is just a couple pipes drilled into the ground.

Waste Management Partnering to Find Gas in the Trash: This project at the Altamont Landfill is only one of many which Waste Management plans to launch. They own 477 landfills and have announced intent to open 60 landfill gas projects by the end of 2012. Further there are 1,700 operating landfills in the U.S., and according to the the EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program, they contain enough natural gas to produce 2,643 megawatts of electricity.

CARB tables of landfill gas composition shows the percentages of different constituents to landfill gas. On average it's 44% methane and 35% CO2, both are recognized as the leading components to greenhouse gas.

Clearly averting the emission of those gasses into the atmosphere would abate some greenhouse gas issues. However burning the landfill gas doesn't destroy the carbon. Therefore burning landfill gas cannot avert emission of the landfill gas. What it can do is replace the use of some fossil natural gas or fossil liquid fuels.

Production of 25 MW of Electricity Using Landfill Gas: Describes a project in Montreal (Canada) to build an electricity plant that uses landfill gas as its fuel. The plant cost CAD $37 million to build and produces 25 megawatts of power.

Video: Powering Up with Landfill Gas: Discusses a similar project at the University of New Hampshire. In the video it's mentioned they've been "flaring" their landfill gas, and are now instead using it to generate power. Flaring gas just means they're burning it with no attempt to capture any energy. Turning it from a flaring to power production situation is an improvement by any measure.

Waste-based Renewable Energy: Landfill operators place collection wells that act like straws throughout a landfill to draw out the methane gas. The gas is then piped to a compression and filtering unit beside the landfill. Technicians make sure that the gas is filtered properly before it is piped to its end user. The entire process is carefully managed to prevent odors and leakage of waste material.

California Energy Commission, Renewable Energy Research, Biomass and Landfill is a resource center about landfill gas research in California. When a landfill is capped, landfill gas (LFG) is generated as organic portions of the municipal solid wastes (MSW) are decomposed. Traditionally, landfill is not controlled and the expected period over which landfill gas will be produced may range from 50 to 100 years. But a usable landfill gas production rate that can be utilized lasts for only 10 to 15 years. A bioreactor is a controlled landfill in which water and other nutrient sources are added into the MSW to increase the landfill gas production rate.

The four basic uses of landfill gas is:

1. medium-BTU gas production, 
2. electricity generation, 
3. injection into existing natural gas pipelines, 
4. conversion to other chemical forms. California leads the nation in both the solid waste generation and number of landfill gas to electricity (LFGTE) facilities. The Puente Hills landfill, operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, produces approximately 46.5 MW of power and is the largest LFGTE facility in the U.S.

US EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP): is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable, green energy source. Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. By preventing emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) through the development of landfill gas energy projects, LMOP helps businesses, states, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a sustainable future.

Instead of allowing LFG to escape into the air, it can be captured, converted, and used as an energy source. Using LFG helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with LFG emissions, and it helps prevent methane from migrating into the atmosphere and contributing to local smog and global climate change.

Is Landfill Gas Green Energy? Is a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council looking at just how "green" an energy can one get from landfill gas.

• Combustion of raw LFG in a flare, an engine, or a turbine dramatically reduces the overall toxicity.
• Collection and combustion dramatically reduces global warming impacts and toxicity.
• Using LFG to generate electricity further reduces the greenhouse gas impacts and also reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and mercury. Burying garbage in landfills results in the release of more heat-trapping gases than any other waste-management option.
• Because LFG is a by-product of landfills, and landfills are such a poor way to manage our waste, LFG can not be considered renewable.

An Overview of Landfill Gas Energy in the United States: Methane as GHG is over 20x more potent by weight than CO2.

Linde and Waste Management commission world’s largest landfill to liquefied natural gas facility

Altamont Landfill's gas fuels garbage trucks

World’s Largest Landfill Gas to LNG Plant Opens in California:

Landfill waste to power Waste Management hauling fleet

Landfill Gas to Energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas


Renewables and Alternate Fuels > Landfill Gas

Baltimore Landfill Gas Powers Up Coast Guard Yard

Production of Renewable Energy

Landfill Gas Resources and Technologies

Energy Companies To Harvest Durham Landfill Gas

Mexico’s President Applauds Monterrey’s Landfill Gas Plant as Model Renewable Energy Project for Latin America

Duke Energy Carolinas Signs Deal to Turn Landfill Gas into Energy

Waste Management to build 60 new landfill gas plants

LANDFILL GAS-TO-ENERGY PROJECT CASE STUDIES

Landfill gas–to–energy facility at Cedar Hills Regional Landfill

Landfill Gas Videos

U.S. and 13 Other States Agree on Push to Gather Methane Gas

This is an interesting move to reduce dependance on oil.

U.S. and 13 Other States Agree on Push to Gather Methane Gas
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY Published: November 17, 2004 (NY Times)

Methane is one of the constituent parts of natural gas, and is a naturally occuring gas that leaks into the atmosphere from numerous sources such as landfills and sewage treatment. It can easily be used as a fuel to be used in driving machines or creating electricity. It is available everywhere, all around the world since it is a simple byproduct of normal biological processes.

An important thing is that it is not deriving from fossil fuels. When we burn a fossil fuel, we are digging up carbon from millions of years in the past and releasing that carbon into the ecosphere. But methane comes from carbon that was already present in the ecosphere, and does not act to increase the amoung of carbon in the ecosphere. Hence, use of methane and other non-fossil fuels is a good step towards rehabilitating the world climate and ecology.

The United States is underwriting some of the costs of the nonbinding methane agreement, $53 million over five years. It calls on the participating industrialized countries to help poorer countries capture and market methane leaking from countries to use American expertise to develop methods of capturing the gas from landfills, coal mines and oil and gas operations.

The gas would then be sold for energy.

Michael O. Leavitt, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, said the agreement was an important step that would lead to "an environmental and economic harvest" for participating countries. The goal is to capture nine million tons of methane a year by 2015.

I find it an odd position to be applauding an ecology and energy policy move by the Bush administration.