February 8th, 2010
The first landfill gas-to-energy project has been completed on the African continent. Funded in part by the city of Durban, South Africa, the nearly $12.9 million facility will produce 10MV of electricity and is expected to serve the eThekwini municipality for the next eight years.
Bisisar Road Landfill, outside Durban
The power from the Bisisar Road, La Mercy and MarianHill landfill sites will help mitigate power shortage issues and reduce the amount of CO2 released by conventional coal-fired power stations.
The South African government has now asked Durban to consult other cities on generating power from landfill gas. Energy Minister Dipuo Peters called the project a benchmark for the future.
As reported by the Times, her department contributed nearly $3 million to the Bisisar project.
“I appeal to the eThekwini Municipality to help other municipalities to do this because you have succeeded. I will tell other departments to come to you,” she said.
Already in green spotlight
The world spotlight has been shining on South Africa recently in the run-up to 2010 FIFA World Cup June 11 – July 11. The host nation has been working hard to burnish its green image in the face of criticism it is not doing enough to reduce its carbon footprint over the course of the tournament. Africa’s first World Cup will reportedly generate 2.75 million tons of carbon emissions. This number takes into account international travel, intercity transport, stadium construction, etc.
A number of local organizations are proposing measures to bring this figure down. One is Promoting Access to Carbon Equity (PACE). According to Anton Cartwright, co-founder of PACE, investment in carbon trading and offsets makes the most sense.
“It would, by my reckoning, cost around R200 million [$26.8 million] to offset the 2010 emissions by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects,” Cartwright wrote.
“That is a large investment, but it is a fraction of the cost of our cheapest stadium, and you don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to work out that renewable energy is likely to make a longer and more positive contribution to South Africa’s future than many of our stadiums,” he added.
Meanwhile, cities like Durban appear to be doing their part. In the United States, a growing number of landfill gas projects are underway, and many of those efforts are being supported by the Environmental Protection Agency. We took a look at these projects in our previous post.
Tags: gas to electricity, landfill, landfill gas, landfills, south africa, swapsol, world cup
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January 25th, 2010
Courtesy: www.guardian.co.uk
Trash into treasure they call it. In the country’s quest to identify sustainable or unconventional forms of energy, there is a growing movement among engineers to come up with methods that capture valuable methane gas locked in landfills and other waste sites for power.
It’s called Landfill Gas Energy where gas produced by decaying hydrocarbon waste is purified in a central location at the waste site. It is, then, sent to energy producers, such as electricity plants, manufacturers and others.
Last year, the EPA estimated there were 517 landfill energy projects in operation among the 1,800 municipal landfills nationwide. In fact, the EPA is supporting development of waste-to-energy projects with its Landfill Methane Outreach Program. This is a voluntary program where the EPA forms partnerships with communities and landfill operators to capture and purify harmful landfill gas, turning it into affordable energy.
But private industry is also heavily investing in a strategy that many think could play a substantial role in the country’s overall move toward hydrocarbon recycling and sustainability. Waste Management Inc., for example, has been involved in waste-to-energy projects since the 1970s through innovations including its Wheelabrator technology. Other companies, such as Dow Chemical treat waste gas through its SELEXOL solvent system.
But there are new developments potentially in how hydrocarbon waste is recycled. There is belief that new technology requiring no solvents or separation of the gas is the solution. Waste disposal costs may be cut dramatically while harmful pollutants are eliminated.
www.swapsol.com
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December 31st, 2009
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
The French version of the Supreme Court this week shot down a carbon tax proposal that the Nicolas Sarkozy administration hailed as a fundamental weapon against climate change. The court cited too many loopholes. Today, France’s economic minister is offering a new proposal he says will close many of those loopholes and says the new proposal is a necessary tool to fight CO2 emissions.
As a follow-up to our earlier post looking at the Carbon Offset, we wanted to take a summary look at two other CO2 mitigation plans. Unlike the Carbon Offset, which typically is an industry-driven solution, two others are the so-called “cap & trade” system and the straight carbon tax. Both require direct involvement from government.
Cap & Trade
What is the so-called “cap & trade” system? Long in place as a method for managing pollution in Europe, cap & trade is a two-part system where a government sets a cap on the volume of particular greenhouse gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrous oxide and sulfur) can be emitted. The government then sets up a system where companies can earn “credits” when they emit fewer emissions. Companies can sell these credits to other organizations unable to currently meet their caps. Proponents of cap & trade contend a government can reach their overall emissions caps at the lowest possible cost. Critics of cap & trade say the system is flawed, arguing it is cheaper for many companies to purchase the credits rather than invest in technology to reduce their emissions. Thus, they say, it does nothing to impact CO2 emissions in the long-term and merely serves as an arbitrary tax in the short-term.
Carbon Tax
The other CO2 mitigation proposal is the carbon tax. Relatively self-explanatory, the carbon tax is an excise tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal). Those in favor of the carbon tax say it is the simplest and most efficient way of pricing emissions and will quickly spur investment in carbon reduction. Those against say it is a regressive tax that punishes those smaller companies unable to withstand the penalties and will hurt small business and put people out of work. Many economists and experts believe the carbon tax should be phased in over time so as to allow companies and organizations adapt.
At the end of the day there are arguments from every angle. In whatever way CO2 mitigation is achieved, we can rest assured it will take not only determined investment in technology, but also a sustained belief that it is our obligation as people to do what we can to save the environment, and ultimately, ourselves.
www.swapsol.com
Tags: cap & trade, cap and trade, carbon offset, carbon tax, climate change, co2, copenhagen, emissions, greenhouse gas, nicolas sarkozy, swapsol
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December 17th, 2009
Copenhagen is coming to a close with reports that a deal may not be reached. Aside from geopolitical arguments on who should shoulder more burden, there is the added confusion of what’s being done thus far. Carbon offsets is one method, though not widely understood. If you want to understand carbon offsets, talk to someone who’s used up their cell phone minutes and is now paying overage charges.
Copenhagen Dec. 2009
In response to growing governmental calls to reduce carbon emissions or face penalties, industry has had to come up with a variety of strategies to comply. In Europe, they use “cap & trade.” In the U.S. there is similar legislation being proposed on top of new calls for a carbon tax. Similar to a cap & trade, the carbon offset has become a way to get credit for the job, but give breathing room to improve compliance with new CO2 emission regulations.
What is a carbon offset? To quote Carbonfund.org, “a carbon offset represents a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) somewhere else…. to balance out the emissions you cannot reduce”.
A carbon offset is a financial tool a company or organization uses to comply with greenhouse gas reduction rules. For example, a governmental body decides that a Company should annually emit less than X-tons of CO2 into the air yearly. But that company produces greater than that amount. By itself, that company would have a very difficult time meeting that requirement.
So in order to meet these new regulations, industry has developed the carbon offset. The carbon offset allows CO2 emitters (companies, governments, citizens, organizations) to invest directly into projects which either are carbon-negative or create carbon-neutral or renewable energy, e.g. carbon reforestation, wind farms and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects.
By purchasing credits and giving money to organizations like the Carbon Fund and Terrapass, you can, in essence, reduce or eliminate your own carbon footprint.
The growing green shift has been a boon for carbon offset providers. According to the UN, 147m tons of the credits have been sold worldwide under the Kyoto Protocol. But this market could become very big business following the passage of any US climate bill. Climate legislation is currently stalled in the Senate, with Democratic leaders not expecting a vote on the bill until early spring
Given the multitude of CO2 mitigation proposals being debated, Swapsol looks forward to playing a fundamental role in helping companies benefit by converting CO2 and earning valuable carbon credits. Every possible action must be taken to reduce anthropogenic CO2 and avoid climate disaster.
Tags: cap & trade, carbon fund, carbon offset, climate change, climate legislation, CO2 emissions, copenhagen, energy policy, terrapass
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December 2nd, 2009
Could natural gas be a player in the new world climate order? It looks like three organizations will be pushing for just that in Copenhagen next week. The American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), the UN Foundation and the Worldwatch Institute say they will jointly “explore the potential for natural gas to accelerate the world’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” according to Worldwatch.
Sour gas pipeline, courtesy CBC.CA
They will announce that new sources of unconventional gas could (and would) more quickly help the world turn away from oil and coal as a primary source of energy and spur new energy policy. That’s correct if certain truths are taken into account. There are considerable reserves of natural gas that remain capped due to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that make them “sour.” Many of these reserves are in remote areas where the cost of production makes it economically unattractive. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the world’s natural gas reserves is sour, according to French oil and gas giant Total, s.a.
Many experts say more attention needs to be paid to renewable sources like wind and solar. That’s true, but where are we now? Wind and solar are growing sources of energy, but they currently aren’t developed enough to make an overnight change. Will natural gas be the answer?
H2S, sometimes known as “sewer gas,” is the oil and gas industry’s enemy No. 1. A chief part of the refining process is removing sulfur and H2S from raw streams to be able to bring refined natural gas to market. So yes, natural gas should play a fundamental role in any low-carbon policy proposed. But this is possible only if more attention is paid to technological advances in refining it.
As we look toward Copenhagen, SWAPSOL agrees with the Worldwatch Institute that greater investment is needed in natural gas to play a pivotal role in a low-carbon environment. Wind and solar technologies are exciting and are quickly gaining ground in the fight against climate change, but today we have an opportunity to both lower carbon emissions using natural gas, as well. Incorporating natural gas into the mix of solutions will also create needed jobs through additional investment in refining technologies. These technologies hold the key to preventing H2S from holding a tremendous volume of natural gas hostage.
With the SWAP, we can eliminate two “bad actors” in a single chemical process, protect the environment and improve bottom lines by reducing costs and creating jobs simultaneously. We can look at CO2 not as an enemy, but as a friend and use it to profit in a new energy economy.
Tags: business, carbon dioxide, climate change, copenhagen, energy policy, hydrogen sulfide, jobs, low-carbon, Natural Gas, s.a., sour gas, SWAP, swapsol, technology, Total, wind and solar, worldwatch
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November 20th, 2009
How can the energy future be mapped without data?
Following its annual outlook released the week of Nov. 9, the IEA repeated its prediction in a CNN report that oil supplies would rise to 105 million barrels by 2030 under current government policy. Totally false, according to two IEA employees who recently discussed their views in an interview (prompting the IEA to repeat their predictions). They contend the IEA is feeling pressure from the United States to inflate predictions so the markets don’t fly into a tizzy. One of them said, “there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further.”
But there is obviously another force at work that will likely impact the world markets outside he supply question – Congress is considering legislation to mandate lower emissions from industry either through European “cap and trade” schemes or an outright tax. Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson said in a speech at an APEC summit in Singapore that he advocates for a carbon tax rather than carbon trading.
In a recent Reuters article , Tillerson said that carbon emissions were expected to rise by 1 percent each year for the next two decades. He said investing in natural gas was one way to slow it down, easing the financial burden on producers.
“Stemming the rise in greenhouse gases is a challenge. One way of expanding supply and reducing emissions is to invest in technologies to bring more natural gas to the Asia Pacific region,” he said.
Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson
In addition, Tillerson said natural gas usage will likely spike more than 50 percent globally by 2030 and that Asia-Pacific region use alone will rise by 130 percent.
At this year’s Global Refining Strategies Summit in Houston, talk of CO2 legislation and the need for more investment in green technology dominated discussions over the two-day conference. It wasn’t a question of “if” the U.S. government would make a decision on emissions, but when, as well as what steps industry should take today to prepare. It is also why presenters from SWAPSOL Corp. earned so much attention with their discovery of converting CO2 into harmless compounds.
SWAPSOL scientists continue their work. It will be interesting to see how the public dialogue shifts with new attention directed to what actually is possible.
Tags: cap and trade, carbon emissions, carbon tax, CO2 emissions, energy policy, greenhouse gas, Rex Tillerson, swapsol
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November 13th, 2009
Laboratory studies show the SWAP drives a Sulfur Cycle which enables the user to generate H2S from most hydrocarbon wastes. This of course is important because the SWAP uses H2S to convert CO2 into harmless compounds.
Landfill Methane flare
Landfills in particular, may benefit from the SWAP as they emit Methane. These landfills can also become a source for raw materials.
The SWAP, which converts CO2 by rearranging its atomic components, may be used to create carbon-sulfur molecules called Carsuls, which may find application as carbon fiber-like materials in construction, aerospace, manufacturing and electronics.
It could very well be that as the SWAP is more widely adopted in areas such as waste management, sour gas and crude oil refining, among others, that we may begin to see the dawn of a new energy economy as we usher in a new era of literally profiting through environmental stewardship.
Tags: carbon dioxide, carsuls, Evan Howell, hydrogen sulfide, landfill, landfills, Methane, swapsol
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November 10th, 2009
What does that mean? That means Ray Stenger and Jim Wasas turned heads recently by announcing they have discovered how to convert CO2 and H2S, two “bad actors,” into harmless compounds in a self-sustaining process.
“The SWAP is a process that can eliminate CO2 by recycling waste, produce a negative carbon footprint and improve the bottom line…” was the message executives at the Houston Global Refining Strategies Summit (www.refiningna.com) heard for three days.
“SWAPSOL earned the biggest buzz I’ve ever seen at one of our shows,” said John Mackenzie, business development manager for World Trade Group, a leader in event production for the energy sector. “From Big Blue on down, it appeared company executives had to get in line to speak with these gentlemen about the science.”
The Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) www.swapsol.com is not about capturing and storing CO2 underground (CCS). The SWAP converts and breaks CO2 into its parts – parts that can be cycled back into the reaction to convert more CO2.
Wolf Koch, Swapsol Director; Jim Wasas and Ray Stenger
Federal legislation to force lower emissions in the oil and gas sector and increase taxes for those who do emit CO2 has industry executives deeply concerned. They say it’s a fundamental question of survival with some gas leaders saying thousands of jobs will be lost. Executives at SWAPSOL said they were thankful to be part of the discussion moving forward.
“Congress setting tough rules on carbon emissions in some way is inevitable,” said Evan Howell, SWAPSOL Corp. executive vice president for marketing and communications. “As we build our company around the science, we’re talking with potential partners to develop what we see are a wide variety of commercial applications both in and outside the petroleum industry.”
Keynote speakers in Houston called for the industry to take a greater role in shaping legislation and make a greater commitment to investing in new and innovative technologies.
SWAPSOL is scheduled to present at the Global Refining Strategies Summit May 18-19, 2010, in Rotterdam where they will present the SWAP to industry executives from Europe, China and the Middle East.
Tags: carbon dioxide, climate change, Evan Howell, global warming, Houston, jim wasas, John MacKenzie, ray stenger, refining summit, wolf koch
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October 26th, 2009
CO2 conversion eliminates industry liability opens door to new energy economy
HOUSTON (Oct. 28, 2009) – Two New Jersey scientists have discovered a simple chemical process to break down carbon dioxide (CO2) and eliminate nuisance pollutants, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in refining operations. Their discovery could redefine how science looks at energy. SWAPSOL Corp. will present to industry on Oct. 28, “Carbon Focus Day,” at the Global Refining Strategies Summit in Houston.
The invention changes preconceived notions about energy and chemistry. Raymond Stenger, environmental engineer, and James Wasas, an entrepreneurial chemist, developed the Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) based on a previously unknown exothermic interaction between H2S and CO2 that eliminates both. The SWAP is independently verified by standard analytical instruments to convert CO2 by more than 99 percent into carbon-sulfur polymers (Carsuls), water and sulfur in the presence of H2S over an abundant and inexpensive catalyst. The SWAP can also recycle waste hydrocarbons (compounds containing carbon and hydrogen) and break down CO2 in a self-sustaining cycle.
“We are building our company around the chemistry,” said Wolf Koch, Ph.D., Director of SWAPSOL Corp. “We are now detailing processes under which we will review potential business relationships with interested parties with intent to launch initial steps next year.”
Thermodynamic and chemical kinetics studies indicate that the SWAP is exothermic, and the heat liberated can be managed and controlled. Independently conducted gas chromatography studies (GC) verified H2S reduction to below 4 ppb.
Eliminating carbon liabilities for industry
By eliminating greenhouse gases, refiners and other carbon-emitters may profit by not polluting and by avoiding carbon penalties. Wasas, SWAPSOL’s chief science officer, predicts the SWAP could also earn carbon credits for those who implement the technology.
“Hydrogen sulfide is the oil and gas industry’s enemy No. 1,” Wasas said. “Tremendous money and energy is required to get rid of H2S, and traditional methods create more hazardous waste, increasing costs and further polluting the environment.”
Hydrogen production, landfill waste potential
The SWAP can be used to purify gas inside landfills prior to combustion, thereby eliminating the harmful release of pollutants into the air. The SWAP-driven sulfur cycle also allows for related reactions that can produce hydrogen from hydrogen sulfide. For refiners this may be a cost-effective solution to recover hydrogen while it may find other applications for fuel cells.
“I can’t tell you how proud we are of the work Jim and I have been able to accomplish,” said Stenger, SWAPSOL’s president. “To be able to make a contribution like this to the world is something I’ve dreamed about for years.”
Tags: carbon emissions, chemistry, environment, global warming, greenhouse gas, hydrogen production, hydrogen sulfide, james wasas, landfill, landfills, raymond stenger, SWAP, swapsol, wolf koch
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October 5th, 2009
Chemical reaction verified to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to form harmless compounds, contribute to climate change fight
MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J. (October 5, 2009) – Two New Jersey scientists at SWAPSOL Corp. (www.swapsol.com ) have discovered a chemical process that reacts hydrogen sulfide (H2S) with carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating both. SWAPSOL will hold a seminar on the science and potential industrial applications during National Chemistry Week on Oct. 21, 2009, on the Rutgers University Cook Campus in New Brunswick, N.J. http://www.swapsol.com/events
The discovery may shatter preconceived notions about energy and chemistry and play a role in the fight against climate change and global warming. Unlike a carbon capture process, the Stenger-Wasas Process or SWAP is a carbon conversion process, verified in the laboratory to break down CO2 into its inert compounds.
Ray Stenger and Jim Wasas discovered the SWAP, a suite of hydrocarbon reactions based on the previously unknown reaction between CO2 and H2S. The SWAP was verified in the laboratory to reduce H2S below detectable levels (below 4 ppb) by gas chromatography while converting proportionate amounts of CO2 into innocuous compounds such as water. Sour gas processors and high-sulfur crude oil refiners may be the first to benefit from the SWAP which could substantially reduce operating costs and mitigate CO2 emissions. The SWAP may also have potential applications in other sectors where H2S is present, such as landfills, tanneries and coke ovens.
Thermodynamic and chemical kinetics studies indicate that the SWAP is exothermic and the heat liberated can be easily managed and controlled
Thermal Hazard Solutions, Inc. (THS), a company that provides scientists with quantitative thermodynamic and kinetic information, verified the SWAP and determined the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the process.
“The SWAPSOL discovery may have deep industrial applications,” said Dr. Roy Drayton, president of THS, who submitted the thermodynamic and kinetic studies. “The reaction between CO2 and H2S was very impressive and I believe signals strong potential for continuous-flow operations.”
Gas chromatography (GC) was independently conducted by Gene Hall, Ph.D., professor of analytical chemistry at Rutgers University. He found the SWAP reaction reduced H2S to below 4 ppb.
“My GC studies demonstrated the SWAP has strong potential for dramatic H2S reduction,” said Hall, adding the SWAP discovery was extremely important. “It appears they may have something very special indeed.”
To learn more about the seminar and the SWAP, visit www.swapsol.com/events
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Tags: carbon, carbon dioxide, climate change, global warming, hydrogen sulfide, jim wasas, national chemistry week, ray stenger, sulfur, swapsol
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