OVERVIEW

The overall resource management system of Belmont Bio-Ag (BBA) utilizes a combustion technology that not only is capable of handling numerous types of feedstock, but also operates at a temperature range that oxidizes many of the undesirable pollutants. The plan is for this combustion system (called a fluidized bed reactor because of how the process looks in operation) to provide nearly all the thermal energy required by the entire SymbiosysTM system. Fuel for the robust combustion will be primarily by-products of other operations within the BBA campus.

This type of combustion serves two strategic functions within the SymbiosysTM system. It will provide the steam needs of the ethanol plant by combusting distillers wet grains, digester solids, greenhouse wastes, other livestock production wastes not transferred to the digesters, and/or biomass recruited from area farms. The combustion system will utilize other waste streams (e.g. exhaust from the power generation system) in another beneficial way. The extremely high temperature combustion and significant air flow through its base of sand (which makes the process look "fluid") converts most "undesirable" fuel characteristics into a relatively benign (non-reactive) form of ash that is rich in nutrients.

As market conditions change, the combustion system can be used to continue to provide the necessary thermal energy by burning different fuels. For instance, if local markets develop for distillers wet grains, BBA will recruit more biomass from area landowners/farmers. Selling the high quality distillers grains to local markets will improve BBA's economic performance. Purchasing locally produced biomass also benefits combustion efficiencies since this fuel has much lower moisture content than wet distillers grains.

During the first 5 months of operation, natural gas is expected to be used as a supplemental fuel to maintain necessary combustion temperatures. Following this startup period, biogas manufactured by the digesters and exhaust gases from the generating engines will provide this heat.

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