So, what is the genesis of the term "moonshot"? In the early days of the Space Race, the US and the former USSR were locked in a fierce competition to determine which country would win a global sparing contest for technological supremacy. The grand prize would be awarded to the nation that puts the first human on the moon. Interestingly, "The Right Stuff", depicted how NASA personnel and the astronauts reacted and dealt with the intensive pressure to succeed in this unique contest between civilizations. US President John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s had declared that the United States would go to the moon within a decade. The iconic Apollo 11 which met Kennedy’s goal is shown at its launch on July 16, 1969 from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the United States.
Daring to set that goal produced an incredible achievement, humanity’s first moonshot propelling brave astronauts to land on the Earth’s only moon. It is readily regarded as a "famous giant leap for mankind."
This enterprise and endeavor required fortitude, technical and scientific innovation, daring, and bravery that pushed people's mental and physical capabilities. Now, moonshot tends to mean something that is seemingly impossible but that produces extraordinary results if it is successful.
But how can coal possibly bring clean energy to a renewable economy? Afterall, "Everyone" knows it's filthy and inundated with deadly pollutants. It is considered to be a vile public health menace. How can it possibly be more energy-efficient and good for sustainability? Nevertheless, a unique path for coal utilization is feasible, economic, and addresses two vital goals of increased Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy.
The Favorable Realities of the Chemical Composition of Coal
So, an important concept to grasp is that coal is actually a form of biomass. Biomass is defined as renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals. Biomass contains stored chemical energy from the sun that is produced by plants through photosynthesis. Biomass can be burned directly for heat or converted to liquid and gaseous fuels through various processes.
Coal primarily began as ancient vegetation which is biomass that was transformed into coal biomass over eons.
It is not inherently toxic and is basically biomass. However, is coal, even as biomass, renewable? Consider the definition of a renewable resource.
A working definition for a renewable resource is a natural resource which will replenish through natural processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale. Considering coal as biomass means that if coal is transformed into RNG (renewable natural gas) which is converted into energy, the CO2 emitted in that reaction will be converted to biomass using naturally occurring processes.
Perhaps, this begs the question concerning current coal incineration practices in comparison to converting coal to RNG. It is important to note that when coal is combusted, numerous pollutants are created. Interestingly, these pollutants and their widespread dispersal from the use of coal are only created by burning it at extreme temperatures. If energy can be harvested from coal without high-temperature burning, the creation and dispersal of pollutants is largely eliminated. Bioconversion can make RNG (renewable natural gas) out of coal economically. Instead of using coal directly to make energy, emissions can be dramatically reduced because burning natural gas releases far less GHGs than coal incineration. Several other problematic emissions are not produced if coal is not combusted:
- Sulfur dioxide, which contributes to acid rain and respiratory illnesses
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses
- Particulates, which contribute to smog, haze, and respiratory illnesses and lung disease
- Mercury and other heavy metals, which have been linked to both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals
- Fly ash and bottom ash, which are residues created when power plants burn coal.
- Lower CO2 emissions
Also, when coal is converted to methane using a bioconversion process, the inorganic constituents are solubilized and can be readily recovered.
RNG Production from Coal and EVs
A key aspect that needs to be understood is that EVs are primarily an energy efficiency play.
Inman that showed that gasoline vehicles need 263 BTU per mile while EVs only need 146 BTU per mile. Substituing EVs for gasoline vehicles can potentially achieve an 11% reduction in US energy footprint,
It is difficult to find any sectors of the economy where such a large reduction in energy footprint for the US is possible with one focused and profitable initiative.
Interestingly, the impact on CO2 emissions is even more dramatic, particularly if one uses a renewable energy source such as RNG as an energy source, the US can reduce US GHG emissions by a colossal 25%. Separately, biomass and EVs alone can lower the US energy footprint by 11% and US GHG emissions by 25%.
The Inconvenient Truth of Energy and Power Production
Al Gore famously coined the term, "inconvenient truth," to bring attention to man-made or anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and other related issues regarding societal functionality, the environment, and sustainability. Meanwhile, solar and wind energy are being touted with almost unbridled, messianic fervor by the complicit main stream media as a sustainability panacea. And Gore is beating the drum hard despite overwhelming mounting technical evidence that solar and wind technologies are ill-suited for duty as large centralized power production installations. Not only is the former Vice-President being careless but his duplicity is materially damaging the Planet’s need to transition to a sustainable societal functionality. Ignoring the critical reality of energy and power production land area requirements is nothing short of recklessness.
Consider the information on area power density for different power sources shown below.
Because of land area considerations, there is a very significant trade-off for using some renewable technologies for large scale centralized energy prodiction. Consequently, ALL renewable technologies must play by the same rules as other technologies, partiuclarly as it pertains to land area requirements.
Furthermore, there should no special preferences or waiver of requirements, particularly as it applies for land area, that should be granted for renewable technologies. Renewables must be held accountable to the same metrics and requirements as their fossil fuel brethren. There are no "free passes."
Technical Deployment for RNG Production from Coal
It is common knowledge that methane is naturally and biologically generated in coal beds. With the right technology architecture, one can accelerate the bioconversion of coal significantly. Furthermore, one can also ultimately leverage tens of thousands of anaerobic digestion (AD) systems that operating around the world. It is feasible to augment their feed with conditioned coal, and dramatically increase RNG (renewable natural gas) manufacturing and drop both energy emissions and footprints dramatically because of increased efficiencies. This technology architecture can be implemented quickly by retro-fitting existing operational anaerobic digester systems.
A “plug ‘n’ play” deployment approach (see picture on the right) will save costs and time. Basically, the strategy is to leverage and utilize existing infrastructure assets as much as feasible. In addition to saving on project costs, more importantly, this strategy more importantly reduces the time when project revenue production begins. This is possible because most projects which also lowers capital needs. This makes technology ideal as a distributed resource technology like solar and wind energy but with faster installation times due to the fact existing infrastructure assets are being utilized. Projects seek to highly leverage facilities at existing treatment plants to save time and investment funds when deploying the technology.
Other Potential Moonshots
"Moonshot" means different things to different people. A “complete sustainability Moonshot” is one that produces near-term profitability along with other simultaneous, tangible near-term benefits and provides both measurable sustainability and financial benefits sooner rather than later. These goals are achievable by using the right technology architecture that manufactures multiple value-added renewable products using biomass feedstocks. These sustainability projects will have multiple revenue streams which mitigates both performance risk and project financing challenges. Furthermore, the utilization of existing infrastructure assets and “plug ‘n’ play deployment strategies reduce both installation costs and time.
Here are some potential targets for Sustainability Moonshots. A sustainability Moonshot must be technically and scientifically credible, inspiring, and have an element of imagination. Here are some attainable Moonshots that are possible by incorporating the bioconversion of coal into methane into the sustainable engineering calculus:
- It was previously noted that coal increase RNG production dramatically and methane production to over 52 QUAD and potentially eliminate the use of coal-fired energy in the US.
- Additionally, the anaerobic digestion of biomass wherein RNG provides energy for EVs alone can lower the US energy footprint by 11% and US GHG emissions by 25%.
- Elimination of the Haber Process for making ammonia and replace the ammonia with Green Ammonia reducing. This process consumes 5% and 2% of the world's natural gas and energy, respectively. It is also solely responsible for over 1% of the world’s GHG emissions.
- Using biomass energy to relieve drought and water shortages Many regions like Southern California are widely known for being in a Water-Energy Nexus. This particular region is a very resource-challenged locale in the US that is a magnet for attracting a variety of approaches and schemes that profess to be high tech, silver bullet solutions for addressing nexus issues. One of those bullets, the Poseidon Project, heavily reliant on RO technology, was very expensive and energy intensive. By upgrading energy production of local wastewater plants using coal to RNG, it would be very feasible to enhance accommodate water production goals and ameliorate the impact of a Water-Energy nexus.
Summary
It is clear that solar and wind platforms are egregiously underperforming and some are even calling for the resurrection of coal. The irony of that situation is palpable given that “evil coal” can now arguably play a heroic role as a sustainability player. How is this possible? In hindsight, it proves to be a fortuitous circumstance. It is common knowledge that methane is naturally and biologically generated in coal beds. With the right technology architecture, we can accelerate the bioconversion of coal to natural gas significantly and make it commercially feasible. When that is done, the characteristics of coal created toxic emissions are largely eliminated. Furthermore, we can also ultimately leverage tens of thousands of anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, feed them conditioned coal, and dramatically increase RNG (renewable natural gas) manufacturing and drop both energy emissions and footprints dramatically with increased efficiencies. These capabilities can lead to Moonshot efforts in a number of areas that can have large impacts on sustainability metrics while maintaining the integrity of societal functionality.
Acknowledgement
The author wishes to thank Mr. Martinez Perez and Dr. Paul Usinowicz for their contributions to this effort. They are most appreciated.