Troy Wragg on Alternative Energies |
Interview with Troy Wragg, president and CEO of Mantria Corp., which is partnering with Carbon Diversion Inc. to create a new and unique "green" housing community by turning its waste into energy and creating biochar.  Tell us about Mantria Place and how it aims to become the first carbon negative community in the country. Exactly what features are new and different that you are using to attain this goal? TW: We are developing Mantria Place in Tennessee, the state's largest master planned community which consists of up to 6,200 acres, on top of the Cumberland Plateau. We are developing 4,500 home sites, which will be ready in 2011. This will be a sustainability themed community, which will also include an eco-village which will house carbon fields. One of our goals is creating the first carbon negative community at Mantria Place through use of a carbon tax and creation of carbon negative biochar. Based on work with Ecosecurities, we understand that if we put out 10,000 carbon diversion systems in the world (through CDI’s carbonization process), we can reduce the earth’s atmosphere by one degree. This is a 20 -year goal. Right now we have three systems, but we are on our way there. As for new, we are integrating the first 20-mile plus solar powered transit system. We are implementing policies such as the fact that we will not be allowing conventional cars within the community by 2012. We are building our Center of Sustainability to act as the education center on how people can live more eco-friendly. We are using revolutionary biorefinery technology to provide clean green power to all Mantria Place residents while providing biochar to enhance agricultural growth in the immediate area. (Editor's note: Mantria Place also plans to use organic concrete, faux rock and biodiesel bulldozers to reduce development emissions by 25 percent.) What do you mean by carbon fields? What is biochar? What is it and how will it be produced? TW: Carbon Fields is the name of our program. We are using the land for tilling biochar. Essentially, we grow biomass for use in our CDI system. Biochar is a fine-grained charcoal high in organic carbon and largely resistant to decomposition. As a soil amendment, biochar creates a recalcitrant soil carbon pool that is carbon-negative, serving as a net withdrawal of atmospheric carbon dioxide stored in highly recalcitrant soil carbon stocks. The enhanced nutrient retention capacity of biochar-amended soil not only reduces the total fertilizer requirements but also the climate and environmental impact of croplands. Mantria’s partner Carbon Diversion Inc., exists to advance the CDI Carbonization™ technology to address the world’s waste problems while simultaneously producing clean fuels, renewable energies, a natural soil amendment to address poor quality soils and inadequate crop production worldwide, all the while significantly reducing the release of multiple greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. The standard CDI system weighs approximately 35 tons, is scalable, sits on a 150 ft x 150 ft land footprint and is transportable, giving it an edge over other biorefinery systems currently in the market. The CDI system has the capability of turning all types of waste … from MSW (municipal solid waste) to tires … into powerful money-making carbon, fuel and energy products. Each household in Mantria Place will be required to pay a universal carbon tax of $50 per ton, with an estimated 40 tons of carbon being emitted per household, adding up to an annual fee of $2,000. What will be done with the money? TW: It will be used to purchase carbon credits to offset our carbon footprint. Does the housing look different from housing elsewhere? Is the interior arranged differently? Do residents have to make any adjustments in their daily lives? TW: The architecture, which is being designed by Gensler, a world-leading architecture firm, is being designed uniquely so that no residents will see the sustainable elements as they will be deeply ingrained in the core architecture and infrastructure. The basic press release about Mantria Place did not mention solar panels, on-site windmills or geothermal. If those methods aren't used, why not? TW: We will be using biomass boilers in the homes and we have a six-acre solar field that we are building for electricity. On top of these items, we are using a renewable energy technology that is much more cutting edge than solar, wind or geothermal in our Carbon Diversion System. You are the company CEO at age 27. How did you get to where you are today to envisioning this goal? TW: The focus on helping the environment is so important. To be honest, no matter what, I always pick up garbage if I see it on the street. You can make a difference through even the smallest actions. As for how did I get here? Really just a classic mixture of two basic elements: hard work and the fact that I never told myself that I couldn’t. Can your methods be used to make existing housing stock greener? TW: No. We are not aftermarket specialists. We do all of our construction from the ground level up. (Note: for more information, take a look at www.carbondiversion.com.)
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