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ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC COMPARISON OF ADVANCED PROCESSES FOR CONVERSION OF COAL AND BIOMASS INTO CLEAN ENERGY
Citation:
Stenzel, R., B. Kown, M. Weekes, B. Gilbert, AND C. Harper. ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC COMPARISON OF ADVANCED PROCESSES FOR CONVERSION OF COAL AND BIOMASS INTO CLEAN ENERGY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-81/133.
Description:
Biomass and coal conversion into clean energy is compared on an economic and environmental basis in three regional scenarios: (1) electric power from direct combustion of wood versus conventional coal combustion in the South Central U.S., (2) synthetic pipeline gas from anaerobic digestion of wheat straw and manure versus high-Btu gasification of coal (HYGAS) in the Midwest, and (3) synthetic fuel oil from wood liquefaction versus coal liquefaction (H-Coal) in the Northeast. Conceptual commercial-scale plants are described. Capital and operating costs are presented for each of the six plants, and the biomass versus coal economics are compared. General environmental impacts of biomass and coal resource collection are assessed and compared in the scenario contexts. Plant environmental emissions were estimated where possible, and relative environmental impacts are discussed. Conclusions are given about the conversion concepts which seem the more promising routes to clean energy, and areas needing further study are identified.