54% of the electricity produced in the US comes from coal fired utilities.
Coal is the #1 target for CO2
reduction and the primary industrial cause of global warming.
Torrefied biomass is a natural, direct replacement for coal.
Integro produces torrefied biomass. The new green coal.

The world increasingly depends upon coal as its source for power, as developed and developing nations alike have turned to coal for its vast and widespread abundance, consistent low price, and the steady, sizable investment in coal-fired infrastructure.  In 2007, coal powered 54% of the electric utilities in the United States and over 40% of the global electricity supply in 2005.   World marketed energy consumption is projected to increase by 50% from 2008 to 2030.    Global coal consumption is predicted to nearly double, with demand rising to 10.6 billion short tons by 2030.  U.S. coal production has reached record levels with domestic consumption reaching 1.1 billion tons in 2007. 
Coal, the leading fuel source for electrical generation in the United States and worldwide, is also the largest single source of CO2 emissions and CO2 is the chief culprit in global warming.  Unfettered coal use poses grave environmental concerns. Accordingly, the coal-powered industry has emerged as the primary target of environmental initiatives aimed at arresting and reversing global warming.   Twenty-eight states, including North Carolina, have passed legislation to reduce CO2 output from current levels to target levels over the next 10-12 years. On the national level, legislation regulating CO2 emissions is imminent.
Co-firing torrefied wood represents the most efficient, near-term solution for coal-fired utilities to meet growing energy demand as well as stiffer environmental standards.   Torrefied biomass  is a carbon-neutral feedstock sharing many of the properties of coal itself.   It does not take on water so it can be left uncovered like coal.  It can be treated, handled, and co-fired directly with coal.  It has been tested to 10% and will likely go to a 30% mix with coal without negatively impacting electricity production.   Unlike carbon sequestration, which has an estimated capital cost of more than $1B, torrefied biomass requires little, if any, capital investment on the part of utilities. This fuel can be delivered below the cost of coal when carbon credits are a factor.  It will allow coal-fired utilities to meet the 2020 standards without a significant increase in the cost of electricity to consumers.