CATS: Value-packed ‘Megaflora’ trees absorb pollution, produce energy

Number 19 in the Clean Air Technologies Series.

Fuel being a central and huge and important element in the energy production story, I doubt very many people realize there is at least one fuel, an alternative fuel, that can not only produce energy but help clean air, soil and water as well. The fuel? It’s called: “Megaflora.”

Providing an in-depth look is CBS 47 (KGPE) TV news anchor Justin Sacher.

Meanwhile, interviewed in the report is Fresno scientist and Emerald Energy founder Dr. Ray Allen who, according to Sacher said, “The fast-growing trees require little water and help clean soil and air.”

Allen touted the plant’s many values in the report.

For instance, it could assist in the production of natural gas.

As Allen explained, when Megaflora trees are gasified or, in other words, incinerated “‘in a chamber with no oxygen’” at a temperature of around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, the trees are then changed into a natural gas state called “‘syngas. Then once you have it in a syngas state, then you have a power source that you can run a diesel engine, convert it to natural gas off of, or you can actually take this into a liquid fuel called synthetic diesel, synthetic jet fuels; you can just take the wood chips and put it straight into the unit and natural gas comes out with only one percent ash.’”

Ninety-nine percent of tree content is convertible to energy. The one percent that is not converted and remains behind, according to Allen, is sand or glass sand.

Being that this particular breed of tree is value-packed, there is more to this tree than just meets the soil.

“‘Our goal is to put [Megaflora] on polluted lands first,’” Allen relates.

The trees’ remarkable ability as a storage mechanism for pollutants and toxic chemicals, makes demand for the tree extremely high.

In fact, over the next three decades, China has made a commitment to buy more than 2 billion Megaflora trees, according to Allen.

The gasification process prevents any Megaflora-absorbed pollutants or toxic chemicals from being re-released back into the air.

Sacher, meanwhile, adds “Dr. Allen says China’s severe pollution problems and energy needs dictate they take action now – solutions that may otherwise take decades of research to fully establish.”

Imagine biomass capable of producing energy while at the same time helping to clean the air.

Megaflora – an air-pollution-reducing, energy producing method whose time has come? Sure seems so!

– Alan Kandel