Get to Know Giant King Grass Pellets
The pelletization and testing of Giant King Grass was performed as part of a project to develop a 250,000 to 400,000 ton per year biomass pellet plant with an eye towards targeting coal-fired power plants in Europe that are committed to reducing their carbon dioxide emissions by replacing up to 20% of coal with biomass. This process, called co-firing, preserves the large capital investment in existing power plants and is an attractive option for utilities. Since Giant King Grass absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it grows, the carbon dioxide emissions released from burning Giant King Grass is reabsorbed by the next crop making the process carbon neutral. European power plants are mandated to reduce their carbon emissions, and co-firing is a widespread practice that is projected to increase significantly in the future. Discussions are underway with several customers in Europe.
Giant King Grass : Highest Yield = Lowest•Very high yield
• Sustainably grown, not a food crop, grows on marginal land
• Perennial grass, harvest 2-3 times per year
• Not genetically modified
• Not an invasive species
• Needs sunshine, warm weather & rain or irrigation – no freezing
• Fertilizer use is modest
• No pesticide cost
Giant King Grass Pellets Features
★ Made from Giant King Grass, a 100% renewable resource
★ Giant King Grass high yields means low cost pellets
★ Energy dense and easy to transport
★ Low carbon, renewable replacement for coal in industrial boilers
★ Helps meet carbon dioxide emissions reduction requirements
Giant King Grass Pellet Costs
• Feedstock cost
–Cost of wood waste or agricultural waste
–Cost to grow dedicated energy crop
• Pelletizing cost
–Capital equipment to build pellet mill
–Electricity cost–largest single cost
–Labor
• Transportation to port & port charges
–Pellet mill should be close to port, but similar cost to coal
• Ocean transport
–Expensive, but similar to coal
–Cost depends on distance
Compare Biomass Costs to Fossil Fuel
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Coal US price
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27GJ/mt
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$60/mt
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$2.22/GJ
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Coal Europe
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27GJ/mt
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$100/mt
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$3.70/GJ
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Oil
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6.1GJ/barrel
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$90/barrel
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$14.45/GJ
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Nat.Gas
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/
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$5.00/MBTU
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$5.27/GJ
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Bio-mass
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18.4GJ/mt
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$42/mt
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$2.28/GJ
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Giant King Grass Pellets Application
• Giant King Grass has excellent energy content of 18.4 MJ (megajoule) per dry kilogram HHV equivalent to 4400 kcal/kg, 7900 btu/lb
kcal/kg, 7900 BTU/lb
• Burn in a power plant instead of coal or oil
• Giant King Grass properties similar to corn & wheat straw
• 30 MW power plant requires 1600 ha of Giant King Grass
• Animal Fodder Pellets
