I was very excited by Thermal Conversion (then referred to as Thermal Depolymerisation) when I first heard about it two years ago. After ten years of development the first Thermal Conversion Process plant has gone live. However, it may not be able to fulfill its promise because of technicalities in the renewable energy funding process.

According to the company, CWT is unable to expand its U.S. operations due to limitations on the tax credit definition created by the Jobs Bill of 2004. Wording in the bill promotes development of biodiesel fuel from specific feedstocks, Appel said, but to the exclusion of other renewable energy sources such as oil produced by TCP. The Jobs Bill grants a tax credit of 50 cents to the dollar per gallon of biodiesel specifically derived from virgin soybeans and used cooking oils. CWT’s TCP-derived fuel, which meets the universal definition of biodiesel as a liquid fuel produced from biomass and utilizes animal waste from nearby poultry processing facilities as its feedstock, is excluded from the tax credit.

Also see Cycling on the Pavement: USS Blowjob for a fictional take of TCP/TDP use.

via Sustainablog

Technorati tag: Biodiesel, Thermal Conversion Process