Global Energy Groups summary on Biomass energy production systems

Through highly innovative agriculture and engineering research and commercial demonstration partnerships, the Common Purpose Institute is working to grow, harvest, and use fast growing crops (called energy crop or closed loop biomass) and also biomass waste streams (e.g., wood chips from clean yard waste or forest thinning, crop residues, etc.) as renewable energy biofuel or feedstock’s for:

 Power Generation (electricity, steam, CHP).

 Biogas for Manufacturing use (heat for product drying).

 Ethanol production (e.g., sweet sorghum, sugarcane).

 Biodiesel production (e.g., soybeans).

 Oil (pyrolytic liquids from biogasification waste stream).

 Biorefineries (steam, power, value added bio-products).

Research & Demonstration Collaboration: The Working Group includes the University of Florida, Florida Energy Office, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers and land owners, Electric Utilities, Manufacturing Companies, Ethanol Biofuel Producers, hydrogen technologies, and others.

Goals & Objectives: Through collaboration in the fields of agriculture and biomass engineering technologies, the Working Group's focus is in three areas:

 Displace Coal Use: In generating electricity in the U.S.,
~90% of all CO2 emissions come from burning coal.

 Displace Oil Use: ~70% of all oil consumption in the U.S.
is within the transportation sector. Also in Florida, ~31%
of electricity generation comes from oil.

 Increase Competitiveness: As plants close and jobs are
shipped overseas, U.S. Manufacturing has lost its
competitive advantage in the global economy.

By implementing innovative renewable and sustainable biomass energy technologies, not only can environmental (CO2) and energy independence (foreign oil imports) goals be realized -- but U.S. Manufacturing can regain competitiveness by lowering energy costs from fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal).

Biomass Energy & Global Warming:   By remembering the basic science of photosynthesis, a key aspect of our biomass research effort can be easily understood. Since plants and trees absorb and store atmospheric carbon as they grow, growing and using biomass energy crops reduces the level of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere -- which may be creating Global Warming Climate Change. Because of this creation of a "carbon sink" (a component which solar and wind energy do not have), we believe that bioenergy from closed loop energy crops represents the most effective choice in "alternative energy" options to address Global Warming.