Originally published December 3 2005
Fuel cell technology can now be used in the air
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In an unprecedented decision, The International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous Goods Panel voted to permit the use of micro fuel cells and methanol fuel cartridges on board commercial aircraft.
The proposal, which could create up to 80 jobs, is one of several biomass power projects that has been floated recently in Central Oregon, where surrounding national forests are seen as a ready supply of fuel for the plants, which convert wood waste to electricity.
Already, the Warm Springs Forest Products company operates a 3-megawatt power plant in Jefferson County and plans to expand its power-generating capacity to 20 megawatts.
That's enough energy to power as many as 18,000 homes, according to the Western Area Power Administration.
And earlier this year, Sisters businessman Steve Pyke announced plans for a smaller biomass power plant in Sisters, which would provide enough electricity to run Sisters High School and Middle School.
Trees have been used as a source of direct heat for centuries.
But several factors have stoked renewed interest in the technology, which uses heat from combustion to turn steam-fired turbines.
Some states, like California, also have adopted policies that require utilities to purchase a certain amount of renewable energy to stoke demand.
But the challenge of lining up a long term-supply of fuel as well as power contracts with regional utilities, not to mention financing for construction, still present significant challenges, Warm Springs manager Larry Potts said.
To supply the plants, there are thousands of acres of land have been opened to forest-thinning projects in recent years, but much of the vegetation that is cleared from public lands is simply thrown into slash piles and burned, said Scott Aycock, a program director with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council in Redmond.
Lonsdale and project partner Burk Daggett estimated a single, large-scale biomass plant like theirs, which would consume about 160,000 tons of wood waste annually, could reduce air pollution by 95 percent.
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