[Bioconversion] Grass Pellets

[Roger Samson]

Jeff

I am all for diversity but the shotgun approach or multiple stream approach
to biomass development hasn't work very well to date. Given the emerging
energy and climate crisis I think we need to do go after what can produce
the most net energy gain without much subsidy. If we had a few more planets
and a lot less people I might be more sympathetic to your suggestion.   

Many engineers are seduced by the complexity of biorefineries and liquid
fuels, but the technologists dream is the energy analysts nightmare. Copying
the fossil fuel energy plant concept is the single biggest mistake. We need
to largely create a decentralized energy production system with biomass as
it is a disperse low energy quality resource. The more we do to change it to
a high quality fuel the worse we do from an energy balance standpoint. 

Energy is the currency of sustainability and when you have a mature
technology that needs a lot of outside currency (subsidies) when oil prices
are $67 a barrel, it is time to throw in the towel. Corn ethanol as a
technology should go the way of the 3 stone fire. All annual grains and
oilseeds should be taken off the Bioenergy roadmap. When you use farmland to
produce energy you can't due much worse than a grain to ethanol fuel cycle.



Roger

-----Original Message-----
From: bioconversion-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:bioconversion-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Davis
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 7:19 PM
To: bioconversion at listserv.repp.org
Subject: Re: [Bioconversion] Grass Pellets

Dear Roger and Les,

Could it be possible that in the near future that there will be room for
all of our tools and processes, facilitating the various biomass feedstock
streams? Many situations need as many tools as possible!

-- 
Jeff Davis

Some where 20 miles south of Lake Erie, USA



> Roger & List,
>
>> The main advantages of densification are better control on combustion
>         I'm not suggesting no densification. I'm suggesting the farm baler
> densifies the material and this makes it easier to gather from the field
> and
> if you can eliminate further densification (as in pelletizing) you can
> save
> not only the time it takes to handle the material again but also the cost
> of
> the pelletizing equipment and the energy cost of pelletizing. I believe
> the
> baler densifies at the rate of around 10 to 1 and you pretty much have to
> do
> that anyway.
>
>         My furnace can be manually stoked with bales or can be
> automatically
> stoked with bales, can be equipped with an auger feeder that can feed any
> size material such as sawdust, wood shavings, corn cobs, aspirin or larger
> sized pellets, cigar shaped pellets, beverage can size cubes, or 48 oz.
> juice can sized logs. It can also burn rolled up newspapers, scrap wood,
> tree trimmings, waste oil, scrap tires, railroad ties etc. It doesn't have
> a
> pot, doesn't generate clinkers, stays outside and can heat the whole
> house,
> household water supply, greenhouse, poultryhouse, swinehouse, shop,
> furrowing house etc. I can put two big bags of Christmas present wrappings
> in it and then turn around and put the whole Christmas tree in it with its
> one use decorations still on it. As I said it doesn't use a pot, only the
> burner/grate I designed and made myself and it doesn't ever need cleaning.
>
>> (less emissions and better efficiencies), ease of feedstock handling,
>> and
>> less storage requirements.
>
>         These attributes are of course more important in the city than out
> in the countryside. I can store wood and so on beside the furnace and just
> throw a plastic tarp over it to keep it dry. I also look forward to the
> day
> when I get a complaint that my furnace is too efficient for someone who is
> getting paid to take the fuel for it.
>
>             Sam; Say Blevins your furnace is too damn efficient for my
> liking.
>             Me;  How's that Sam?
>             Sam: Well I'm getting paid by the ton to take this wood waste
> fuel off of this guys hands because he can't
>              get rid of it without taking it to the landfill and they
> don't
> want it any longer so he pays me to take it off his
>              hands.
>             Me:  So?
>             Sam; So I'm gettin ten dollars a ton to take it but your
> furnace
> is so damn efficient I can't burn more than
>                     about two tons per week. Do you suppose if I take the
> insulation off of your furnace it would cut the
>                     efficiency down to where I can burn mebbe three tons a
> week?
>
>> Risk of fire is a major issue with bulk herbaceous materials.
>         I haven't had my fuel supply spontaneously catch fire yet.
>
>> The energy costs associated with densification are modest.
>         What about the other costs? How much does a pelletmill cost? Where
> does one put it? How much is the
>          maintenance on it? Is there any chance it might catch on fire?
>
> Ending here
>
> Les Blevins
> AAEC
> www.aaecorp.com
>


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