In a small rural US community in the northern reaches of the state of New Hampshire, inventor and entrepreneur Charles Diamond of Bath, is working to develop a pilot facility using a "bio-waste-stream based " energy system that is carbon negative - that is, it uses or sequesters more carbon than it produces within the entirety of its system.
This revolutionary concept has very important implications for stemming the tide of global warming and for providing renewable, clean power in New Hampshire.
Generally speaking, most technologies and processes that have a goal of sustainability as either their central theme or one component of the entire package, have a goal of carbon neutrality as the measure of achieving some level of sustainability.
The Negative-Carbon Bio-EnergyTM concept is capable of using any form of biomass as the fuel source for a process that produces energy and a carbon based fertilizer that not only serves to sequester carbon from the biomass fuel but, when applied to land in sufficient quantity, creates an environment that will capture additional carbon from the atmosphere over time. All of this serves as the basis of energy production of the Negative-Carbon Bio-EnergyTM.
Understanding the system requires looking at it in its totality for two reasons: First, because the system has dramatic and broad capabilities for energy production. The Negative-Carbon Bio-EnergyTM system can be designed to convert bio-waste or pellets, to heat, electricity and fuel. The system can produce one or all three types of power based upon the needs of the community that will benefit from it.
Additionally, the system produces a Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM commonly referred to as biochar that has remarkable capabilities including its ability to enhance the fertility of any land to which it is applied between 200 – 400% and to act as a carbon sink.
Finally, an additional benefit of this system within the context of a Cap and Trade system would be the ability to sell carbon credits.
In a nutshell here's how the system works:
1. Using a low heat pyrolysis, stage one of Negative-Carbon Bio-EnergyTM system converts the initial (waste) fuel to its desired components: Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM.
and one or more of the three energy outputs: heat, electricity and hydrogen based bio-fuel.
A farm for example, may wish to generate all three products in order to have fuel to power its vehicles where a small village may choose only a CHP (combined heat and power) system, producing heat and electricity in addition to the Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM.
2. The Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM is then used as a soil amendment for area farmers, municipal parks, timberland, or any land chosen within the context of developing the system. It can also be developed into a marketable product, sold separately.
The Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM biochar creates a unique anaerobic environment that makes it the ideal host for microbes that feed on carbon dioxide, sequester (capture and hold) carbon and gives off oxygen. The microbial growth causes the expansion of the original area of the biochar, effectively creating a potting soil like environment where it become unnecessary to till the soil from year to year. Planting can be done by simply drawing a line in the earth into which the seeds are deposited. Ongoing research continues on use of biochar in various types of earth, but the technology on which Negative-Carbon FertilizerTM is based is thousands of years old and even today, pre-columbian soil beds are being “mined” for potting soil.
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Moosewood Communications is currently working with inventor and entrepreneur Charles Diamond of Bath, NH to develop a pilot facility using a "bio-waste-stream based " energy system. Moosewood is an Intellectual Venture Capital participant. To learn more about our "Intellectual Venture Capital" approach, click here.
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