Bio-mass Gasification

What is bio-mass gasification?

Bio-mass gasification is a process of creating combustible gas, known as synthetic gas (syn-gas), from organic material through oxygen-starved pyrolysis. The resulting syn-gas may then be burned separately to replace natural gas for heat and/or to power an electrical generator.

Syn-gas is created through a high temperature, low-oxygen heating process that chars but does not burn the organic fuel. The products of this process are the syn-gas, which is the fuel, and an ash which is valuable as a soil supplement.

The gasification process differs substantially from an open flame combustion process in that much of the smoke and particulate matter common to an open fire is not produced because of the initial separation of the gas from the organic matter prior to full combustion.

Control Panel Display, Dockside Green, Victoria B.C.

  Photo by Rich Davis

Why are we interested in it?

Evergreen will become a laboratory for sustainability — as demonstrated in our operations, our curriculum, and in the quality of life for our employees and students — and commit to becoming a carbon neutral college by the year 2020.  The Evergreen State College Strategic Plan update, 2007

Bio-mass gasification is key in the college's plan to meet our goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2020, as defined in Evergreen's current Strategic Plan, replacing our reliance upon fossil fuel, for heating, to a renewable energy source. Combustion of natural gas is our largest direct emissions source of greenhouse gases, which made it essential for us to consider and address renewable energy strategies in our Climate Action Plan.

There are many renewable energy technologies available, but each technology is highly dependent upon local conditions and end use. In order to replace the combustion of natural gas for heating, we must have a locally sourced combustible with the enduring capacity to meet our heating demands year round. Bio-mass gasification is the only renewable energy strategy with that capacity in our local region. Gasification technology also possesses the (long-term) added potential ability to power an electrical generator, which could significantly reduce our reliance upon purchased electricity.

Bio-mass gasification is already in use at various places around the world. One installation, at Middlebury College in Vermont, is of particular interest because of the manner in which they have combined environmental, educational, and practical purposes, much as Evergreen hopes to do. Middlebury's plant is in use and they provide a nice web-based overview and answers to many common questions about their bio-mass gasification plant that's worth reviewing.

Evergreen is just beginning a pre-planning process and does not yet have definitive answers to all our implementation and operational details. We will be posting our own answers to Frequently Asked Questions during the course of our pre-planning process. Please check our blog HERE, for current updates.

What are we doing now?

Strategic planning for Evergreen’s green house gas reduction strategies began with a class on Climate Action Plannning offered through the Masters of Environmental Studies program Winter quarter of 2009. Class research and review of available renewable energy technologies confirmed that bio-mass gasification was simply the best option for on-site energy generation at our location. This strategy was subsequently reviewed by the Sustainability Council and council work group members and accepted for inclusion in the college's Climate Action Plan which was adopted in September 2009.

There are many questions yet to be answered about the actual impacts, implementation, and operational details of such a plant on campus. We hope to begin a formal pre-planning process to research and evaluate those details early in 2010. Some funding for the pre-planning has been identified, and the rest is being sought.

Assuming funding is available, the pre-planning work group will include students, faculty, and staff to manage and participate in a campus-wide education and engagement process.