Comments on: Ze-gen Ramps Up its Waste Gasification Process: Lessons from a Clean-Energy Startup

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:34:28 +0000

Hi Shaik,

Please visit our website: http://www.ze-gen.com for more information. Also, feel free to email me at cgiudice (at) ze-gen (dot) com.

By: shaik

shaik — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:45:38 +0000

hai Cara.. can u give me more info ….i like to develop your technology in my country,can we use wood waste only? also the cost ?

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:55:31 +0000

Hi Rob and Roy,
Please feel free to contact me at cgiudice(at) ze-gen(dot)com

By: Roy

Roy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:47:18 +0000

Thanks for your replies, Tom and Cara. I would be interested in reading some of the MMT research reports and public documents. If either of you could point me to the references, I’d appreciate it. Cara, I’d like your contact info as well. Thanks, Roy.

By: rob

rob — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:39:45 +0000

hi Cara

thank you fror your reply,could you please forward your contact details as i would like to discuss ze-gens plant and application capabilities.
regards
rob

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:03:59 +0000

Hi Roy,

Thanks for your question. The toxic chemicals are captured in the plant’s emissions control system (including a baghouse). The contents of the baghouse are periodically hauled off site by a licensed contractor.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:46:26 +0000

The issues and questions raised by Ani and now Roy are not new, they have been addressed in the earlier MMT work, including patents and government research reports (public stuff). Maybe Cara(?) can provide these for reference, now with the settlement final as reported.

By: Roy

Roy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:30:12 +0000

What happens to the small amounts of toxic chemicals extracted, such as arsenic? Is it captured and disposed of separately, or diluted in the syngas?

By: Cara

Cara — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:59:24 +0000

Hi Ani,

An ideal feedstock for Ze-gen’s technology contains a relatively low moisture content and high caloric value, which is generally higher than municipal solid waste. However, we expect to blend feedstock materials that range in moisture content and BTU value, in order balance these materials with feedstocks that have more ideal moisture and energy contents.

By: Ani

Ani — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:44:26 +0000

would this work in municipal waste with high moisture content and low calorific value,where things like paper plastic etc have already been picked buy rag pickers ,what is the minimum BTU required ?

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:49:28 +0000

Hi Rob,

We are currently testing materials now in New Bedford. The emissions will vary by material, but we expect to put in full-scale emissions control on the commercial facility. The commercial facility will comply with any and all federal, state and local regulations regarding air emissions. You can check out more information about our plant by watching our video: http://ze-gen.com/rethink/transforming-the-way-we-view-waste

By: rob

rob — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:36:24 +0000

Hi, would this the process and the plant support the burning of tyres and copper,chrome,arsenic coated organic material ,if so what additional emmissions and impact do you foresee this employing on the environment?

By: Cara

Cara — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:02:12 +0000

Hi John,
The toxic release was not related to Ze-gen’s pilot facility. It occurred at the facility next door.

By: John

John — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:58:12 +0000

What about a toxic release that injured several NB workers at the landfill. Was this related? Is the state investigating, or are they killing it because of Ian Bowles past ties to Zegen?

By: ghali hasan

ghali hasan — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:09:52 +0000

good job/ would like more info on cost a for new a unit thank’s

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:16:03 +0000

Clearly this is the same technology that MMT worked on for many person-years in Fall River. That is a matter of record that cannot be disputed (c.f. USDOE technical reports – and others). The issue there, as noted, is expiration of patents – some have expired, some have not.

I don’t think MMT/QC would go away quickly – so it is reasonable to surmise that the Sept. 18th settlement and the pending “new partner” announcement are closely related.

By: Cara

Cara — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:49:39 +0000

Hi Bill,

That is a great question! Ze-gen’s liquid metal gasification system processes carbon-rich waste material, like wood waste, and converts those materials to usable renewable fuel in the form of synags. When applied at commercial scale, the process is exothermic, meaning that the chemical conversion process will produce more total energy than is required to operate the facility, enough to keep the bath at optimal operating temperature as well as to produce syngas to make steam and/or electricity. Currently, Ze-gen is operating its pilot-scale test facility that is designed to test efficiency and operability. At this sub-optimal scale, the pilot plant does require incremental natural gas to keep the gasifier’s liquid metal bath at optimal temperature, using more input energy than the plant outputs, however at full scale, this will not be the case.

By: Wade Roush

Wade Roush — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:34:18 +0000

Good question, Bill. The short answer is no — the synfuel contains much more energy than is required to keep the gasifier up to temperature. In a commercial plant (the way Bill Davis explained it to me) part of the synfuel generated, about 30 percent, would be cycled back into running the furnace. But the way I understand it, once the furnace is hot, a large part of the energy that keeps the metal in its molten state is actually generated by the gasification process itself, which is exothermic.

By: Xconomy's Roush on Ze-gen | Rethink.

Xconomy's Roush on Ze-gen | Rethink. — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:47:27 +0000

[...] Wade Roush wrote an in-depth article on Ze-gen today that highlights important lessons for cleantech start-ups, while also providing a [...]

By: Bill Ghormley

Bill Ghormley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:36:48 +0000

Wade,

Great article — leads to a question:
Does the energy expended to keep the copper at 2,400-2,700 F, plus the energy required to feed and operate the gassifier, end up being larger than the synfuel energy produced?