Carbon Sequestration

Our MicGAS™ technology offers an effective pre-combustion carbon sequestering method for coal; thereby reducing CO₂ by about 67% compared to today’s coal conventional combustion technology. Further processing the CO₂ with Humasorb can sequester the remaining carbon resulting in a neutral carbon footprint by retaining the humic substances in the soil. Learn how our process can generate a negative carbon footprint at a coal-fired power plant.

How MicGAS™ Technology Creates Negative Carbon Foot-Print from Coal Use?

A. Direct Impact:
1. By switching coal combustion plants to lower CO₂ producing gas plants
2. By retaining carbon in stable humic acid products in the planet

B. Indirect Impact: CO₂ capture due to enhanced biomass facilitated with humic acid products

Direct Impact:
A 1: Higher efficiency, methane-based power generation systems would result in less carbon dioxide production over the conventional coal combustion power plants. For example, today’s coal power plants produce an average of 1.2 tons or 2,200 pounds of carbon dioxide for every MW of power. These conventional power plants based on combustion require about 10,000 Btu/kwH referred to as heat rate. Thus one ton coal with average heat content of 20 million Btu’s results in the production of 2,000 kwH or 2 MW of power. One ton of coal, with average 60% carbon on combustion, will produce 2.2 tons or 4,400 pounds of CO₂. Therefore, 1.2 tons or 2,200 pounds of CO₂ per MW is the result. MicGAS technology can produce 1,000 to 10,000 SCF of methane gas per ton of coal depending upon the coal rank and source. Almost 25% of the carbon, or 300 pounds out of every 1,200 pounds of carbon per ton in coal results in the production of 10,000 SCF of gas. This gas, when utilized in higher efficiency combined cycle gas turbine power generation systems with an expected heat rate of 6,500 Btu/kwH will result in 1.5 MW. This results in only about 735 pounds of emissions of CO₂ per MW compared to 2,200 pounds or 1.2 tons of CO₂ per MW with today’s coal combustion approach. This offers a potential direct benefit of over 66% direct reduction of carbon dioxide, or 1,465 pounds less per MW compared to today’s approach of coal powered generation.

A.2: It is well documented scientifically that humic acid in soils are retained as stable molecules without degradation into carbon dioxide and water. Only under arid and very high temperatures does humic acid decompose. Also, HUMASORB®, after its saturation with contaminants, can be safely retained in landfills; therefore all the carbon in humic acid Actosol® and HUMASORB® products will be permanently sequestered. Thus the 70% of carbon which was converted in to humic acid products will amount to sequestration of 3,300 pounds of CO₂ per ton or 2,200 pounds per MW.

B. Indirect impacts are realized by using humic acid fertilizer for enhanced biomass for CO₂ sink. The USDA reports that tree biomass on each acre of land captures 6 tons of CO₂ and releases 4 tons of CO₂ per year. The Kyoto Accords allows for credits of 3-6 tons of CO₂ reduction per year per acre for 80-100 years of lifespan of trees depending up on tree species and geographical location. Kyoto requires cultivation of tree biomass on about 10% of land. The remaining land can be used for cash crops and food production. The 1,000 gallons of humic acid co-product from the same ton of coal that produced gas, can be applied to 20 acres of land at an average of 50 gallons per acre per year. Based on a lower capture rate of 3 tons of CO₂ per acre per year from 20 acres, this would amount to 60 tons of CO₂ sequestered. Very conservatively, if we claim only 10% of it is attributed to increased biomass due to humic acid input, then this will amount to 6 tons of CO₂ sequestered from the 1,000 gallons of humic acid produced from a ton of coal. Consequently, per MW will be 6 Tons /1.5 MW =4 tons. Capture of carbon in tree biomass offers an opportunity to create a permanent sequestration to bury tree biomass in engineered landfills for future use or permanent retention with minimal degradation. For every ton of buried biomass taken out of the ground in form of coal, this program will be putting back more than 5 tons of CO₂ equivalent biomass into the ground.

Therefore, the reduction of CO₂ per MW from direct and indirect approach is as follows:

A. Direct Reduction:
1. From switching to gas=1465 pounds
2. From retention of humic acid in the soils and planet =2200 pounds

B. Indirect:
8,000 pounds in biomass

NET REDUCTION = 1,465 pounds + 2,200 pounds+ 8,000 pounds = 11,665 pounds or 5.8 tons per MW RESULTING IN A NEGATIVE CARBON FOOT PRINT WITH COAL USE
MicGAS technology offers an effective pre-combustion carbon sequestering method of coal use. For extraction of one ton of buried biomass coal, it will enable putting back almost 5 tons CO₂ equivalent biomass and permanently sequester it. This technology strategy is a “no regrets” approach to global climate control. For example, if it is determined in the future that buildup of carbon dioxide had no significant impact on climate, then at the very least, the use of humic acid products, as sequestered carbon would have been for economical benefits.

A number of U.S. government regulations recognize the benefits of use of humic acid products. These are:

1. 1997 EPA Munitions Rule: accepts recycling of explosives into fertilizers as a Non-RCRA activity.

2. Nevada EPA in 1999 commended ARCTECH for Actodemil® demonstration at Hawthorne Army Depot.

3. October 2000 proposed EPA regulations for industrial wastewater treatment mandates stringent cleanup levels. HUMASORB® would enable industries to meet these standards.

4. 2003 EPA Rule: accepts use of Actosol humic acid in growing crops as safe and exempts for any tolerance requirements.

5. 2004 USDA National Organic Food Production Rule: authorizes the use of humic acid for growing organic foods.