Monday, September 29th, 2008
By SAMANTHA BATES
The East Oregonian
When most people look at algae, they might see green slime or pond scum. When people like Rico Cruz or Steve Corson look at algae, they see opportunity.
Cruz said he first became interested in algae when working with biofuels. When he was hired by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation he kept the idea in the back of his mind. Now he’s the program manager of the tribes’ laboratory and biological services division and taking another look at the green stuff.
Corson is a spokesman for Portland General Electric, which today announced its beginning a project to potentially reduce PGE’s emissions at the Boardman coal-fire power plant, by using algae. The project is just in the beginning stages, but if successful could represent a way for PGE to continue to use the relatively cheap coal as a source of power while reducing its carbon emissions, Corson said.
Both men and the organizations they work for are interested in algae’s ability to quickly turn sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into usable products.
“It’s just like any other plant material,” Cruz explained. “It uses carbon for its growth and development. Plants usually need water, nutrients and carbon dioxide.”
The algae can take these ingredients and turn out oils for biofuel and proteins and starches for animal feed. It also has the potential to cut emissions from places like the Boardman Power Plant by as much as 80 percent, Cruz said.
And algae can do it all in record time.
“They are very prolific,” Cruz said. He said in about eight or nine hours, algae can convert carbon dioxide into other materials. “They can develop eight times more (faster) than the fastest growing plant.”
In this field, especially here in Eastern Oregon, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Cruz said his department still is in the phases of writing proposals and grants. But he said the CTUIR has met with some entities who specialize in algae and he believes they are on the road to finding the right one for the region.
When it comes to algae, Cruz said there are 100,000 different types of strains. The tribes would need to find the right one to fit its needs. Ideally, they would like one that produces at least 20 percent oil, so the tribes could use it for its biofuel potential.
“It might take a few years to determine which of the algae are best for production,” Cruz said. They would have to basically match the carbon dioxide with the appropriate algae.
That’s the point PGE is at now.
“This is in the very early stages,” Corson said. “We’re just testing whether it could work at the plant.”
Right now, Corson said PGE is testing about half a dozen tanks on the back of a truck to find the right algae for the plant. If it works, Corson said PGE will move onto larger-scale tests. It will proceed in a staged process, working on larger tests. If it continues to be successful, they may go so far as to work what he called “commercial-scale” tests.
“Where you’re really making a going concern out of it,” he said.
Cruz said the tribes are looking for carbon dioxide sources for their proposals and have considered PGE, along with the Umatilla Chemical Depot or other industries in the area as possible places to approach when they get to the point of finding sources.
Corson said PGE probably will not look for partners in the community until at least the second, larger-scale tests, if not until the commercial-scale tests. Currently, it’s partnered with Columbia Energy Partners, a firm out of Vancouver.
Cruz said there are several aspects of algae production the tribes are interested in.
“We can process them into biodiesel,” he said, “and then after we extract the oil from the algae there’s some other uses for the remaining meal or bacterial. There’s a lot of uses, too.”
Those other uses include wastewater treatment, feedstock, fertilizer, chemicals for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics and even an Asian energy drink. But Cruz primarily is interested in oil and feedstock.
Some lab studies, Cruz said, say algae can produce as much as 15,000 gallons of oil per acre in a growing season. That compares with canola producing about 70 to 80 gallons an acre, he said.
Corson said PGE’s main concern is getting the carbon out of the air and into the algae, again, if possible.
“The carbon capture is the thing that’s most attractive for us,” he said. “The Boardman plant is a significant part of our portfolio.” He said the coal plant supplies 15 percent of the power PGE uses to serve its customers.
“The main thing is carbon sequestration,” Cruz said. “Instead of putting out carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, adding to the greenhouse gases, we can sequester the carbon, use it into the algae. Algae can absorb up to 80 percent.”
Corson was hesitant to support numbers as high as 80 percent, especially since PGE still is in early testing phases.
Cruz sees another use for the algae, being able to use it on otherwise useless lands.
“It can be grown on non-agricultural lands, any marginal lands, as long as there’s a source of water, there’s a source of sunlight and there’s a source of carbon dioxide you can grow algae in a short time,” Cruz said.
But unlike agriculture, the algae wouldn’t need irrigation. It would just need a set amount of water. Cruz said it produces very little wastewater. Almost all can be recycled back into the system.
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Monday, September 29th, 2008
The utility and Columbia Energy Partners want to use emissions to grow algae for fuel production
Friday, September 26, 2008GAIL KINSEY HILL
The Oregonian Staff
In the energy equivalent of turning a pig’s ear into a silk purse — and a very green one, at that — Portland General Electric is testing how to use pollutants from its Boardman coal plant to grow algae for biofuel production.
PGE and renewable energy developer Columbia Energy Partners announced Thursday that they had begun a pilot project for the algae venture at the utility’s Boardman facility in Morrow County.
The experiment siphons off some of the coal plant’s CO2 emissions and feeds them to six 12-foot-long tubs of algae sitting on a nearby flatbed truck.
During photo synthesis, the algae gobble up the CO2 and release oxygen into the air. Oil is squeezed out of the mature algae and used to produce a clean-burning biodiesel.
The residue — a starchy goo — is turned into ethanol, an alternative to gasoline, and livestock feed.
“This is an opportunity to make a real meaningful difference,” said Steve Corson, a PGE spokesman.
He emphasized, however, that the pilot project is “tiny” and that more tests must be conducted before determining whether a full-blown production facility is feasible.
The 600-megawatt Boardman facility, about 150 miles east of Portland, is Oregon’s only coal plant. It generates about one-fifth of PGE’s power and is the state’s largest stationary source of CO2, a major contributor to climate change.
The plant has come under fire not only for its CO2 emissions, but also for haze-causing pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. A study released early this year concluded that the plant is responsible for more than half the haze in the eastern Columbia River Gorge at certain times in the winter.
Jon Norling, vice president of Columbia Energy, said he approached PGE more than two years ago about using Boardman’s CO2 emissions to grow algae. Norling owns Portland Biodiesel and said he was quick to recognize algae as a potentially valuable biodiesel feedstock.
Algae’s attraction to CO2 is a natural, Norling said. “It needs it,” he said. “It really likes it.”
The pilot project won’t make much of a dent in Boardman’s CO2 emissions, which total about 5 million tons a year. But, a full-scale plant — at least 21/2 years away — could use up to 60 percent of the emissions during daylight hours and produce 20 million gallons of biodiesel annually, Norling said.
The linkup between PGE and Columbia Energy involves just the experimental project, although it could extend into a longer-term union.
Algae are considered a promising feedstock for biofuel production but remains in its developmental stages. No commercial plants are operating in the United States.
At this point, soybeans are the most popular crop used to make biodiesel. An acre of soybeans can produce about 50 gallons of biodiesel, PGE’s Corson said. A one-acre algae pond can produce 800 gallons — or much more according to some studies.
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| January 15, 2009 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing
Welcome to our Third Thirsty Thursday sign-up page. You can also call 503-548-4480 or email your request for a seat on the eco-friendly booze bus. $25 per ticket
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world. A beer writer will join us and/or a tour will be given to make your evening educational as well as a tad debaucherous. This is a great chance to get out of your neighborhood and experience Beervana! The bus returns to Roots at the end of the tour, 11:30 or so, and rides will be offered at an additional charge. It may be wise to arrange for a ride home in advance! PLEASE!! DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
This Months Tour: Each month we’ll visit 3 different breweries, leaving from Roots each time. This month we visit two brewing companies in SE Portland, close-in and one in the NorthWest.
**Please note, there is a puke fee of $300.
visit www.rootsorganicbrewing.com to find out more about our Third Thirsty Thursday partner, Roots Organic Brewing
cforms contact form by delicious:days
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| December 18, 2008 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing
Welcome to our Third Thirsty Thursday sign-up page. You can also call 503-548-4480 or email your request for a seat on the eco-friendly booze bus. $25 per ticket
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world. A beer writer will join us and/or a tour will be given to make your evening educational as well as a tad debaucherous. This is a great chance to get out of your neighborhood and experience Beervana! The bus returns to Roots at the end of the tour, 11:30 or so, and rides will be offered at an additional charge. It may be wise to arrange for a ride home in advance! PLEASE!! DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
This Months Tour: Each month we’ll visit 3 different breweries, leaving from Roots each time. This month we visit two brewing companies in SE Portland, close-in and one in the NorthWest.
**Please note, there is a puke fee of $300.
visit www.rootsorganicbrewing.com to find out more about our Third Thirsty Thursday partner, Roots Organic Brewing
cforms contact form by delicious:days
Posted in Event Calendar | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| November 20, 2008 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing
Welcome to our Third Thirsty Thursday sign-up page. You can also call 503-548-4480 or email your request for a seat on the eco-friendly booze bus. $25 per ticket
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world. A beer writer will join us and/or a tour will be given to make your evening educational as well as a tad debaucherous. This is a great chance to get out of your neighborhood and experience Beervana! The bus returns to Roots at the end of the tour, 11:30 or so, and rides will be offered at an additional charge. It may be wise to arrange for a ride home in advance! PLEASE!! DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
This Months Tour: Each month we’ll visit 3 different breweries, leaving from Roots each time. This month we visit two brewing companies in SE Portland, close-in and one in the NorthWest.
**Please note, there is a puke fee of $300.
visit www.rootsorganicbrewing.com to find out more about our Third Thirsty Thursday partner, Roots Organic Brewing
cforms contact form by delicious:days
Posted in Event Calendar | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| October 16, 2008 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing
Welcome to our Third Thirsty Thursday sign-up page. You can also call 503-548-4480 or email your request for a seat on the eco-friendly booze bus. $25 per ticket
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world. A beer writer will join us and/or a tour will be given to make your evening educational as well as a tad debaucherous. This is a great chance to get out of your neighborhood and experience Beervana! The bus returns to Roots at the end of the tour, 11:30 or so, and rides will be offered at an additional charge. It may be wise to arrange for a ride home in advance! PLEASE!! DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
This Months Tour: Each month we’ll visit 3 different breweries, leaving from Roots each time. This month we visit two brewing companies in SE Portland, close-in and one in the NorthWest.
**Please note, there is a puke fee of $300.
visit www.rootsorganicbrewing.com to find out more about our Third Thirsty Thursday partner, Roots Organic Brewing
cforms contact form by delicious:days
Posted in Event Calendar | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
| September 18, 2008 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing
Welcome to our Third Thirsty Thursday sign-up page. You can also call 503-548-4480 or email your request for a seat on the eco-friendly booze bus. $25 per ticket
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world. A beer writer will join us and/or a tour will be given to make your evening educational as well as a tad debaucherous. This is a great chance to get out of your neighborhood and experience Beervana! The bus returns to Roots at the end of the tour, 11:30 or so, and rides will be offered at an additional charge. It may be wise to arrange for a ride home in advance! PLEASE!! DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
This Months Tour: Each month we’ll visit 3 different breweries, leaving from Roots each time. This month we visit two brewing companies in SE Portland, close-in and one in the NorthWest.
**Please note, there is a puke fee of $300.
visit www.rootsorganicbrewing.com to find out more about our Third Thirsty Thursday partner, Roots Organic Brewing
cforms contact form by delicious:days
Posted in Event Calendar | No Comments »
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
Third Thirsty Thursday presented by ecoShuttle and Roots Organic Brewing begins 9/18/08
About the Tour: On the Third Thursday of every month, our 25 passenger ecoShuttle departs Roots Organic Brewing on SE 7th and Hawthorne, destined for three of Portland’s breweries. A $25 ticket gets you a seat on the beer-bus, samples at every brewery, growlers full of beer to enjoy along the way, and a look into what makes Portland so unique in the brewing world.
(more…)
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Monday, September 8th, 2008
We have an exciting new partnership with Whitebird Uncaged! White Bird Uncaged is the new name of the White Bird/PSU Dance Series.
ecoShuttle will provide shuttle service to and from the Jackson Turnaround at PSU, to and from three White Bird Uncaged Venues: Kaul Auditorium at Reed College, the Portland Opera Studio Theater at the Hampton Opera Center, and Oaks Park Amusement Park. ecoShuttle will charge patrons $5 per person for round trip reservations. Reservations can be made by signing up below!
(more…)
Posted in Blog | 3 Comments »