HomeMy WebLinkAboutBiochar letter Van De Wege.,l
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WASH I N UTO ( , U. S. A.
City Council
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October 21 2019.
Honorable Kevin Van De We e
Ptd Box 40424
Olympia, WA 98504-0424
Dear Senator Van]]e Were:
Attached is a project sheet for a pyrolysis system for the City of Port Angeles. As you know,Port
" Angeles has invested heavily in environmental projects that have taxed our ability to implement this
project. In the past 5 years, we have spent $46.1 million to prevent sewer overflows into our harbor and
$14.8 million(out of total of$21M)to prevent a trash cell from our landfill from falling into the strait.
The City of Port Angeles isproposing to use a reasonably priced pyrolysis system that converts the
sewage solids(through very high heat)into Biochar—a stable, carbon residue that improves soils.
Biochar can be used for fertilizer, it also is being used for road pavement, mixed with concrete for
stronger and lighter building blocks, and other environmentally friendly products.
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t
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'f In January of 2019, Cit Council
� � ilthis
project
ttechnology legislative priority a goal to introduce
Biosolidpyrolysis as an improved Biosoldsmanagemento niti�at �e discharge of micro-
pollutants
icro-
poosls to the environment where biosolids are
applied to land. This process adds to the dewatered
' bio-solids to create Biochar.The technology results in the reduction of wastewater biosolid output in the
compost.The City is seeking$4.5 million in State Grant opportunities to demonstrate the
implementation of this environmentally beneficial technology.
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'I he attached sheet covers the budget for the pyrolysis system similar to other systems in the US.
Representatives of businesses capable of implementing such a system have visited Port Angeles and
/ have sized the system according to our needs. This approach will improve our soils,reduce
infrastructure maintenance, since it contains few moving parts, and will create a usable product.
The timeline follows the budget and the estimated total project length is 14-21 months.
We are asking that in the 2020 and 2021 legislative sessions, you help the City cover costs to build the
Biochar system. We see this as part of a plan to help protect our soils, air,water, food crops, and the
health of humans and wildlife.
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,t Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me and we will ensure that you are supplied
with any information you need. Thank you for all your help on this. I would suspect that all
communities will need a system like this in the future and we are happy to be the pilot city for the
Olympic Peninsula.
Sincerely,
k—
; Sissi P. Bruch,Mayor
t
/ phone: 3601-417-4500/Fax: 360-417-45019 /TTY: 260-417-4645
' Website: www.cityofpa.us/Email: council@cityofpa.us
321 Fast Fifth Street/ Port Angeles, WA 98362-0217
TANK
BUDGETARY QUOTE FROM
BIOFORCETECH JJ
Included in the capital cost: �
- 2 BioDryers
- 1 P-FIVE Pyrolysis system
- Bio-scrubber or Biotilter
-Pyrolysis exhaust cleaning container
- Caustic Soda holding tank
- Conveying system from dewatering building to the BFT plant
- BioDryer and P-FIVE conveyors and handling system 14P) ASS
- Biochar unloading system
- Electrical panels
- Automation system %) o�1
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- Loading system f
- Control station
- Waterheater and piping
- Dried biosolids storage tank
- Hangar building
- Shipping of all equipment to the project site r , ,
- Start up and training "
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- Engineering, Project Management and Permitting Support
- Construction and Site Preparation
- Contingency
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Project Cast, Not to Exceed: $4,500,000.00
Estimated annual O&M cost (not including Bio-scrubber Operations): $95,000
This cost includes:
• Utilities: $15,000:
o (electricity @ $0.1/kWh): $1.4,000
a (natural gasCie /therm): $1,000
• Spare parts and components replacement: $50,000
• Maintenance: $30,000
• Operation(24/7 - fully automated)
BioForceTech will assume responsibility of removing the charcoal Biochar byproduct, free of
charge.
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NOTE: Carbon in biochar can persist in soils over long time scales. Beyond the carbon
sequestered in the biochar itself, biochar incorporated in soils also offers numerous other
potential climate benefits.
1. Soil Fertility: Biochar can improve soil fertility, stimulating plant growth, which then consumes
more CO 2 in a positive feedback effect.
2. Reduced fertilizer inputs: Biochar can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, resulting in
reduced emissions of greenhouse gases from fertilizer manufacture,
3. Reduced N 2 0 and CH 4 emissions: Biochar can reduce emissions of nitrous oxide(N 2 0)
and methane (CH 4)—two potent greenhouse gases---from agricultural soils.
4. Enhanced soil microbial life: Biochar can increase soil microbial life, resulting in more carbon
storage in soil.
5. Reduced emissions from feedstocks: Converting agricultural and forestry waste into biochar
can avoid CO 2 and CH 4 emissions otherwise generated by the natural decomposition or
burning of the waste.
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