Senate Hopeful Tim Kaine Visits Biomass to Power Facility

Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia recently visited the Roanoke waste-water treatment plant.  He used this setting to discuss his vision for America’s energy future.  His opponent in this year’s senatorial election, Republican George Allen, advocates reducing restrictions on existing energy resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. 

The reason for this particular setting is what Roanoke is doing with its waste-water… it is turning it into methane to provide 7577 megawatt hours annually of electricity.  According to the Roanoke Times, the Western Virginia Water Authority anticipates that the generators will pay for themselves within seven years, a very quick pace for alternative energy sources.

While biomass energy is a proven technology, it requires more labor than the casual reader might suspect.  First, the feedstock for biomass must be replenished after a few weeks. That requires monitoring, switching tanks, and discharging the sludge for further processing. 

Also, hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct must be removed prior to using the methane as fuel.  This is typically accomplished with the use of a metal “sponge” that chemically bonds with the sulfur, stripping it from the fuel. 

However, biomass is increasing in popularity once the full process has been accounted for in the planning process.  The beauty of this system is that it takes waste that was a problem and turns it into a solution.

Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia recently visited the Roanoke wastewater treatment plant.  He used this setting to discuss his vision for America’s energy future.  His opponent in this year’s senatorial election, Republican George Allen, advocates reducing restrictions on existing energy resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. 

The reason for this particular setting is what Roanoke is doing with its wastewater… it is turning it into methane to provide 7577 megawatt hours annually of electricity.  According to the Roanoke Times, the Western Virginia Water Authority anticipates that the generators will pay for themselves within seven years, a very quick pace for alternative energy sources.

While biomass energy is a proven technology, it requires more labor than the casual reader might suspect.  First, the feedstock for biomass must be replenished after a few weeks. That requires monitoring, switching tanks, and discharging the sludge for further processing. 

Also, hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct must be removed prior to using the methane as fuel.  This is typically accomplished with the use of a metal “sponge” that chemically bonds with the sulfur, stripping it from the fuel. 

However, biomass is increasing in popularity once the full process has been accounted for in the planning process.  The beauty of this system is that it takes waste that was a problem and turns it into a solution.

Read more about it in renewablesbiz.com: http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/12/08/kaine-tours-alternative-energy-site-roanoke