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Cow Power to Horsepower: Sustainable Transportation for Whatcom County

Cow Power to Horsepower: Sustainable Transportation for Whatcom County. Vehicle Research Institute Western Washington University Eric Leonhardt Director. Vehicle Research Institute Background Special Thanks Petroleum Challenges Happy Cows Dairy Waste Challenges

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Cow Power to Horsepower: Sustainable Transportation for Whatcom County

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  1. Cow Power to Horsepower: Sustainable Transportation for Whatcom County Vehicle Research Institute Western Washington University Eric Leonhardt Director

  2. Vehicle Research Institute Background Special Thanks Petroleum Challenges Happy Cows Dairy Waste Challenges Anaerobic Digester Benefits Electrical Power or Transportation Fuel? Questions

  3. Vehicle History

  4. Thank you.

  5. Petroleum Challenges Transportation Dependence Energy Security Peak Oil Emissions Global Warming

  6. Petroleum Challenges = Opportunity Transportation Dependence Energy Security Peak Oil Emissions Global Warming

  7. Happy Cows

  8. Dairy Waste Challenges Water Quality Air Quality Global Warming Potential Economic Cost

  9. Global Warming Potential International Panel on Climate Change: Methane is 23 times more effective than Carbon Dioxide Global Emissions of Methane: 540 teragrams/year (tera = trillion) Global Emissions from Ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats, deer): 12-15% of global total

  10. Potential Solution: Anaerobic Digester

  11. Anaerobic Digester Benefits • Creates three product streams while reducing waste: biogas, slurry, and solid • Biogas is ~60% methane, ~40% carbon dioxide and ~0.3% hydrogen sulfide gas • Burn methane to produce electricity (280-350 kW) • Near pathogen-free liquid slurry causes fewer run-off issues • Solids are 98% pathogen free and may be mixed with straw to reduce bedding costs • Dr. Craig MacConnell, WSU Extension, developed a peat moss substitute • Community food/food processing waste may be added

  12. Andgar Corporation

  13. Puget Sound Energy purchases power

  14. Digester Electrical Power Challenges Capital cost of $1.2 million(2004) Power revenue $110,000-$230,000/year Electrical power equipment ~60% cost Requires innovative, willing power utility Hydrogen sulfide damages engine Grid may not be able to accept power Air quality regulations on I.C. engines

  15. Solution:Biomethane for Transportation Is it possible? What is the quantity of the fuel? What will it cost? Are there any additional benefits? What additional challenges exist?

  16. What is the fuel quantity? 80,000 cows * 60 ft^3 = 4.8x10^6 ft^3/day CH4 4.8x10^6 ft^3 * 1000 BTU/ ft^3 =4.8x10^9 BTU 4.8x10^9 BTU / 115,500 BTU/gal (gasoline) Result: 41,558 gallons of gasoline equivalent energy per day Over 15 million gallons of gasoline equivalent energy per year

  17. What will it cost? Digester Economics Relate electrical energy production to value of CH4gas • 667 cows+substrate = 120 scf/min or 4320 scf CH4 /hr • Produce 330 kWh@$ 0.087 = $28.71/hour • 4320 scf/$28.71 ~ 150 scf/$1 • Heating value of CH4: ~1000 BTU/ft^3 @ 100% CH4 • BTU per $: 1000 BTU/ft^3 x 150 scf/$1 = 150,000 BTU/$1 • Gasoline 115,000 BTU/gallon or GGE, gasoline gal. equiv. • $1/150,470 BTU * 115,500 BTU/gal.= $0.77/gal. Compare with Gasoline at $3.03/gallon (West Coast avg):

  18. Additional Benefits: Global Warming Opportunity Dairy waste from Washington’s ~250,000 cows create nearly 40 million kg of methane per year Washington Dairies can produce the equivalent of ~810 million kg carbon dioxide net EPA: Average car produces 5195 kg carbon dioxide per year (~12,000 miles) Anaerobic digesters could remove the global warming potential of 120,000 cars in Whatcom County

  19. WWU Prototype Upgrading Facility

  20. Solution:Biomethane for Transportation Support reduction of dairy waste impact by improving economics of anaerobic digester Biomethane is sold at $0.77 per gasoline equivalent gallon (GGE) , natural gas at SEATAC is $1.87-2.50/GGE (variable) Power 20-40,000 vehicles in Whatcom County with ~9-11 million GGE per year Reduce Global Warming Potential Low emissions of natural gas

  21. Additional Benefit: Emissions

  22. Tour de Sol

  23. Second Generation

  24. Challenges: Biomethane for Transportation 9 million CNG vehicles worldwide—Only 300,000 in USA Conversion cost of vehicles Cost of compression and tank storage Cost of refinement Location of dairy relative to fleet location Lack of Experience with biomethane

  25. Thank You! April 2007 Award Winner EPA People Prosperity Planet

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