Turning Forestry Waste into Renewable Diesel
One gallon's production and combustion would remove a net 2X more carbon from the atmosphere in the process than diesel typically contributes.Every fuel emits carbon, right? Not if you count the whole supply chain.Strategic Biofuels', currently under development, has a recipe for highly negative CI through a combination of using abandoned forestry waste (nature's carbon-capture system), creating their own electricity from sawmill waste, and sequestering CO2 deep underground using oilfield technology. | Here's CEO Paul Schubert explaining their project in Louisiana: |
How Are Forestry Trimmings Collected?Forestry trimmings are not something everyone sees in their daily life. But, far from cities, in rural industry, these waste products are ready to be collected for carbon-abatement purposes. Paul explains: |
So-called "injection wells," which are deep wells often used to dispose of used or "produced" water in oil- and gas-field operations, are also how carbon is sequestered in the Strategic Biofuels project.And it has been shown that these injection wells can sometimes contribute to the likelihood of earthquakes. However, seismic activity has never been a concern in this corner of Louisiana. |
It isn't just injection wells that this new-energy project has in common with oil and gas development. The local and state governments are recognizing how oilfield workers and technology are being redeployed to benefit the community and environment. |
Surprising Unanimous VoteMuch like in gas development, pore rights – who owns the economic benefit of the rock formations and how they're used – are crucial in this development.When the owner of the pore rights is unknown, developers are stalled. But Louisiana passed a law allowing eminent domain process to secure those rights.Did the vote barely pass in Louisiana, a major oil-and-gas state? Paul explains his surprise at the unanimous vote. |
A site diagram shows how the fuel plant, power plant, and river port would be arranged.A $15 million grant is being used to enhance the highway and rail facilities to serve the plant. The groundbreaking happened in December. |
|
The U.S. Forest Service has an interest in controlling this forestry waste. But, as part of the federal government, they also want to ensure the fuel being produced complies with renewable-fuel standards and doesn't expand forest-harvesting land use. Strategic Biofuels partnered with the Forest Service to establish standards to create these policies. Weaver and Tidwell and U.S. EPA were also at the table.What benefits to the community might this project bring?This project is extremely rural, in north-central Louisiana, about 25 miles south of the city of Monroe and on the Ouachita river. The average household income is around $35,000 per year. |
| ||