Cotton Pellets Brochure

1Agri-pelletsClean y Renewable y Low-costCotton Pellet FuelAugust 20072The “miracle” fuelWhat if there was a fuel…? Capable of heating millions of homes, businesses and schools? What if that fuel was already here …not half a world away?? What if it was renewable, economical and sustainable and what if we had the know-how to make it work?? What if it burned as cleanly as any of the fossil fuels?? What if the use of this fuel was as much a boon to regional economies as it was to the environment?? How much would you be willing to pay for this amazing fuel?? Well, what if we told you that you wouldn’t have to pay more for it than you would for oil, coal, propane or natural gas?This miracle fuel is pellets.3Benefits of biomass fuelsUsing biomass as a fuel has many benefits over fossil fuels:1) economic- can be cheaper than fossil fuels- stimulates rural economies- provides more jobs- encourages local energy production and consumption2) energy- reduces reliance on fossil fuels and oil price- enhances national and economic security- highly efficient heating combustion methods3) environmental- reduces greenhouse gas emissions (methane and CO2)- eliminates acid rain (biomass contains no sulphur)- reduces amounts of landfill (waste wood is biomass fuel)- can create habitats for wildlife4How can biomass fuels help reduce CO2 emissions?? The use of biomass as a fuel has huge potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Burning fossil fuel removes carbon that is ‘locked away’ underground and transfers it to the atmosphere in the form of CO2.? Essentially fossil fuels are a form of ‘ancient biomass’, and by burning them we are creating a carbon imbalance.? In a combustion system, biomass and fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they burn, but biomass also needscarbon dioxide to grow; This creates a ‘closed carbon cycle’ where the same amount of CO2 is absorbed from the atmosphere by the biomass as is released when it is burnt. This closed carbon cycle makes biomass fuel ‘carbon neutral’.? Biomass doesn’t contain many of the other noxious chemicals that are released when fossil fuels are burnt eg: sulphur, these gasses are creating immediate environmental problems such as acid rain and respiratory problems in humans.5Low-carbon future6Cotton Stalk as a Potential Energy Source ? Greece alone has some 800,000 tn of cotton stalks per year that are now a potential problem for farmers as they have to pay for cleaning their fields in order to avoid damages by pink bollworms.? One of the difficulties in cotton production is the need to clear the ground of old cotton stalks after the harvest in order to rid the field of the cotton diseases. Both bacterial and virus diseases can be transmitted from season to season through the stems or debris ofstalks which remain in the field.? Cotton stalks can be collected and used as a biofuel instead. They can be used in bulk as raw chopped material for the industry, as briquettes or as pellets.? Huge potential for cotton producing countries like China, India, Egypt, etc.7Cotton pellets by RAM Europe? Cotton stalks ate collected with our specially designed machinery and transported to our depots where they are dried naturally (humidity drops from 40-50% to 20% in just a few days).? RAM-Europe has a depot of 17,000 m2 at Orchomenos, Central Greece for the processing and storing of agricultural byproducts.8Cotton pellets production process -1? Cotton stalks are first milled for a consistent size (<3 mm) before they are pelletized.? Chopper? Collection of chips prior to pelletizing9Cotton pellets production process -2? The resulting chops are fed into a pelletising machine where they are compressed under immense pressure and extruded through a die. During this process the lignin, naturally contained in the biomass, melts and acts as a 'binder' stitching together the biomass fibres to form an extruded pellet section and helping to keep the shape of the pellets as they dry. The lignin also gives rise to the 'glaze' found on the exterior of the pellets. The pellets are extruded at around 90oC, the lignin then cools and the pellets harden and set. No other additives are used.Pelletiser10Cotton pellets production process -3? After cooling the pellets are either bagged up for domestic use or loaded into container lorries for bulk distribution.11Cotton pellets properties? Energy Density:17 GJ/tn- per Kg: 4.7 KWh/Kg- per m3: 3,077 KWh/m3? Humidity: 8%? Density: 650 Kg/m3? Ash content: 3.89%12Pellets production costs? Normal production costs for wood pellets vary from 75-110 $/tndepending on the volume of production.? Costs <100 $/tn are anticipated for cotton pellet production.? Pellets are sold at 200-250 €/tn (2007 prices for a mature pellets market such as Germany).13How are pellets used?? Pellets are a very versatile and flexible fuel. They can be used in small heating applications (domestic and commercial) as well as in large industrial applications (industrial boilers, district heating, electricity production).14Advantages of pellet appliances• Self igniting• Self cleaning• Electronic ignition (one button press, self igniting)• Thermostatic control• Self feeding (hopper fed)• Low maintenance• Small ash deposits (<2%)• High efficiency (up to 95%)• Environmentally friendly• High energy density• Comparable cost with fossil fuels• Clean, renewable fuel• Variable heat output• Low CO2 emissions• Elegant stoves available• Predictable biomass - a minimum energy content is guaranteed15Benefits for the consumerAnnual heating cost for various fuels1.0417506670 200 400 600 800 1.000 1.200OilNatural GasBiomass$16? Bio-RAM, a division of RAM Europe Group of Companies, has been active for a long time in the manufacturing of biomass collection equipment in Greece.? In 2004, Bio-RAM entered the pellet market, with the aim to become a leader in agri-pellet production and marketing.? Having long experience with cotton stalks shredders and multipurpose vehicles, RAM Europe has developed specially designed machinery for the collection of cotton stalks to be used as a raw material for pellet fuel production.? Bio-RAM offers cotton pellets, a low-cost, renewable, and clean fuel for the industry and conscious consumers.17Contact5, Evelpidon str.GR-113 62 Athens, Greece?el. +30 2108259771-2Fax. +30 2108259773sales@rameurope.comwww.rameurope.comAMBIENTE COTTON PELLETS AgriPellet production Aug07 AMBIENTE COTTON PELLETS FOTOt AMBIENTE COTTON PELLETS Slide Number 2 Slide Number 3 Slide Number 4 Slide Number 5 Slide Number 6 Slide Number 7 Slide Number 8 Slide Number 9