1. BioMass Industries Prepared by Tim Castleman To Promote a Renewable Resource System Using Fibrous Crops such as Hemp and Kenaf Copyright 2002, Tim Castleman, Arizona Fuel and Fiber Company, LLC 1058 N. Higley Rd. Suite #108-160, Mesa, Arizona 85205 480-804-9555 Fax: 208-979-9846
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9. Full Life Cycle Analysis Historic planning, accounting, and analysis often fail to consider the environmental and social costs Cost to manufacture, market, distribute and use a product Cost to Dispose of product Effect of toxic materials in disposal facilities Initial cost to environment Use of natural resources Defense Budget
10. Effect of Full Life Cycle Analysis A new [1993] report from the respected Environment and Forecasting Institute in Heidelberg, Germany puts the car right back at the centre of the transport debate and raises fundamental questions about a society increasingly adapting itself to the car. The German analysts take a medium-sized car and assume that it is driven for 13,000 km a year for 10 years. They then compute its financial, environmental and health impacts "from cradle to grave". Long before the car has got to the showroom, they find it has produced significant amounts of damage to air, water and land ecosystems. Each car produced in Germany (where environmental standards are among the world's highest), produces 25,000 kg of waste and 422 million cubic metres of polluted air in the extraction of raw materials alone, say the Heidelberg researchers.
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13. And into production data: - Every 50 minutes a new car is produced that will kill someone; - Every 50 seconds a new car is produced that will injure someone. Land use data are also brought into the equation to show that Germany's cars, if one includes driving and parking requirements, commandeer 3,700 sq km of land~60% more than is allocated to housing. Every German car is responsible for 200 sq metres of tarmac and concrete. The total impact of the car over all the stages of its life cycle also produces a quantifiable financial cost. The Heidelberg researchers estimate this to be 6,000 DM per annum per car (about $5,000) and covers the external costs of all forms of pollution, accidents and noise after income taxation are taken into account. This is a state subsidy equivalent to giving each car user a free pass for the whole year for all public transport, a new bike every five years and 15,000 km of first class rail travel.
14. The car is thus revealed as an environmental, fiscal and social disaster that would not pass any value-for-money test. More importantly, the car can now be seen as a disaster in itself. It is ownership as well as use that is the problem of the car and a car used sensitively (if that is possible) is still a problem for energy, pollution, space and waste. The balance sheet's bottom line is enormous societal deficits and penalties and an assumption that we will all continue to pay the bill. Reference: Oeko-bilanz eines autolebens. Umwelt-und Prognose- Institut Heidelberg. Landstrasse 118a, D69121, Heidelberg, Germany. *John Whitelegg is head of the Geography Department at Lancaster University and director of the Environmental Research Unit, Lancaster University. (Oct 93) John Whitelegg, Eco-Logica Ltd., Transport and Environment Consultancy, 713 Cameron House, White Cross, Lancaster, LA1 4XQ (0524) 842655, Fax: 0524-842678
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18. Why grow Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus )? It can be a replacement for many forest products, including wood for paper pulp, building materials, cooking fuel and will relieve the pressure to cut our old growth and ancient forests here and around the world. Does kenaf require heavy use of pesticides? No, pesticides are used to protect the growing plant from insects or disease; however, a pre-merge herbicide is used to establish a stand. How much water does kenaf require to produce a crop? Kenaf requires less water than traditional crops, cotton, and uses the same farm equipment to plant and cultivate the crop. Kenaf will use about 3 acre feet and >100 lbs of nitrogen. What kind of equipment does it take to process kenaf? Many of the products have been prototyped along with equipment to produce the products. Mississippi State University has led the way in this field. University of Arizona and US Department of Agriculture have been heavily involved but have been unable to become directly involved in commercialization because of regulatory constraints FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT KENAF:
19. What are some other uses of kenaf? It can be used as a high quality animal feed, as geotextiles, clothing, building material, automotive plastics fill for enhanced strength and durability, absorbents used in oil spill and hazardous materials cleanup and as a high performance animal bedding. Only your imagination is the limit. Why grow kenaf in Arizona? It thrives in our desert heat and can produce a consistent yield under our growing conditions making it a suitable candidate as an industrial crop. It can use moderately saline water including sewage effluent and is an easy crop to produce. How much does kenaf grow in a year? It will produce 10-14 tons dry matter per acre and grow 12-14 feet in a single season. It will produce 20X the amount of oxygen as a comparable stand of yellow pine and 5 times the fiber in a 150 day growing season. Why hasn’t kenaf succeeded as crop and product? Lack of funding and insufficient local supply to support an industry have combined to keep kenaf from becoming a success. Our network of experts can fulfill any need for statistics, test data, lab analysis, history and more.
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25. Kenaf Production costs Kenaf Production Bast Core 50 Gallons per ton Total Production -- tons 302,400 99,792 199,584 9,979,200 Yield per acre -- tons 10 Total Acres required 30,240 Cost per acre to grow $ 500 Total Cost To Grow $ 15,120,000 Kenaf processing costs per ton $ 56 Total Processing Costs $ 16,934,400 Total Kenaf Costs $ 32,054,400
26. Fiber/Ethanol Plant Capital Costs Buildings & Land $1,980,000 Fiber separation and receiving $4,100,000 Material handling & Storage $2,125,000 Total, Land Buildings and Equipment $8,205,000 3 months operating expenses $ 2,317,200 Ethanol plant $18,000,000 General Administrative $300,000 Office Equipment $50,000 Rolling Stock $100,000 Total Capital Costs $37,177,200
27. Unit Costs Production capacities Per Mo. Per Year Production Fiber -- tons 8,316 99,792 Ethanol gallons 831,600 9,979,200 Unit Costs Fiber $/ton $ 275 $ 2,286,900 $27,442,800 Ethanol $/gallon $ 1.37 $ 1,139,292 $13,671,504
28. Annual Return Annual ROI Unit Pricing Fiber -- per ton $ 400 $ 3,326,400 $39,916,800 Ethanol - per gallon $ 1.00 $ 831,600 $9,979,200 Unit Profit/Loss Fiber -- per ton $ 125 $ 1,039,500 $ 12,474,000 Ethanol - per gallon $ (0.37) $ (307,692) $ (3,692,304) Net Plant Profit/Loss $ 731,808 $ 8,781,696 Cash on Cash Annual Return 24%