Commissioners to host agricultural based renewable energy briefing
Posted By J.T. on June 18, 2009
The Cass County Commission will hold an informal briefing on deploying second generation, carbon neutral, bio-hybrid methane gas energy production concepts for power generation. The process utilizes cellulosic silage converting it to gas, using the gas to generate electricity, leveraging and improving upon processes that have been successfully used in Germany for the past 15 years where more than 4,000 similar facilities exist today.
With the assistance of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the first U.S. bio-farming operation of its kind recently broke ground in Texas where NRCS Texas State Conservationist Don Gohmert called it a “landmark project for the U.S. and the ag industry”. That project is being developed by Cass County based Universal Asset Management, LLC. Upon learning of the Texas project, the Commissioners recognized the potential to develop similar success stories in Cass County and the surrounding region.
When we learned that the expected revenue from this first plant was projected to generate 137 jobs and potentially create 14 new businesses in that economic region we decided to invite USDA official and business leaders who assisted in developing the Texas project to Harrisonville to hear the story first hand” said Gary Mallory, the Presiding Commissioner. “From everything we have learned so far, the Commission believes a similar opportunity exists in our region and we are excited to learn more”, said Commissioner Cook.
In Texas, a farmer’s co-op has committed 2,400 acres to sorghum production to fuel the plant. The one megawatt plant will consume two tons of silage per hour, running 24 hours a day, seven days a week; the plant will require 17,520 tons of sorghum per year producing enough electricity to power approximately 400 homes year round. Over 50 of the facilities are on the drawing board in central Texas alone.
The briefing will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 10:30a.m. on the second floor of the Cass County Courthouse at 102 E. Wall Street in Harrisonville. The briefing is open to the public and all interested parties are invited to attend. Please RSVP at 816-887-4008
Hope they dont have guests drive on the county roads. That would not be impressive.
I get very suspicious when a technology is touted as being ‘carbon neutral’. This, folks is NOT carbon neutral. Just like the ethanol boondoggle, the promoters seem to forget about all of the diesel fuel needed to plant, fertilize, harvest, and haul the plant material this plant uses.
They also overlook the fact that unless additional land is brought under cultivation, growing feedstock for electricity will force the price of other agricultural commodities higher. Unfortunately, little of the price increase seems to make it into the pockets of farmers.
That said, this is probably better than burning coal for electricity. But, let’s make the promoters of this build it without lots of tax breaks and government handouts. If it’s financially viable, it should not need to be subsidized.