[Gasification] Wood Gasifier Alaska, Q & A

[Greg Manning]

HI Jan, and list members.

I've had 3 engines running on wood gas, BUT all three where "used" units
that I didn't care about (if they died, or blew up) they where "expendable"
for testing only. The gasifier has been proven to deliver clean tar free gas
over it's entire spectrum of operation, and is now "ready" to be permanently
be hooked to a "Good" engine (newly rebuilt, and configured for wood gas
operation.

As far as when that happens, I'm shooting for mid April this year,
Generator and Switchgear have been ordered, as well as the governor for the
engine.

The interconnection to the grid is the most expensive part of this entire
process, as Manitoba Hydro wants VERY specific equipment for safety and
redundancy when "paralleling" with the grid.

So far, here's the breakdown. (round numbers)

Building for Co-Gen facility           $ 10,000.00

Gasifier and Ancillary equipment      $ 3000.00

Engine                                           $ 1500.00

Governor and throttle body               $ 1900.00

Generator (85Kva) Grid Capable       $ 7200.00

Paralleling "base load" switch        $ 12,000.00

Protection Equipment (for switch)     $  4700.00
                                                    ----------------
Total Round number investment       $40,300.00

This system has a live expectancy (except engine and gasifier) of 20 some
odd years.

Payback on investment with an assumed gasifier and engine replacement of
every 3 years and an average surplus of "exportable" electricity of 45Kva/h
for 7 months of the year  $7000.00 a year recovery AS WELL as the recovery
of the electric bill each month of those 7 months (around $2200.00 total).

So a total years recovery is in the area of $9200.00 per year, if you said
payback in 5 years, BUT with a re-investment of about $3000.00 every 3
years, 6-1/2 years to pay the original investment, not including lost
interest from savings removed from bank (pennies anyhow :) ...

If this was viewed like a mortgage on a small cottage or so, this is a very
good payback ratio.

SO, does it boil-out good, so to speak "Cost Effective"?

I would say so, because the 20year plan sees gross profit of $ 120,000.00
after recovery of initial investment (net profit of 80,000), work that out
over 20 years of "sitting in the bank" collecting interest. the same 40,000
would only be now worth $ 56,000 at a 3% interest rate (A REALLY GOOD
savings account rate)......

Yes there is work involved, but then again, good money management requires a
lot of work as well, myself, I would prefer my work being outside, tending
piles of woodchips and playing with grandkids, and horses, then "sweating my
#$% off" in an "Ivory Tower".

Greg Manning


  -----Original Message-----
  From: JEKunat [mailto:jekunat at ideafamilies.org]
  Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 2:43 AM
  To: a31ford at inetlink.ca
  Subject: wood gassifier alaska


  Hello Greg,
  My name is Jan, and I found your web site about a gassifier very
ineresting, wonder if you made it working, I had the same idea ( connecting
mine to a grid) my efforts slowed down last year, but this winter I got new
ideas again, and was looking for some support. I constructed gassifier using
4 beer kegs( 316 s/s ) based on documentation on FAO web site, and tested it
only by blowing air to air inlet, and got lots of burning gas coming out the
outlet, I never connected it to the engine, but I aquired an old 15KW FAA
standby generator that I was hoping to hook up.
   Anyway let me know if you got your running. I'm interested about the
switches , how to get them knife switches ncessary for this for less. I hear
that they are pretty expensive new.
   Also this winter I will be testing the gassifier using commercial pellets
for wood stove. Thought it will make a smooth flow, and for $190 a ton that
is not so bad to start with something that is dry and same size.  Anyway
thanks for repply, best regards from Alaska , Jan
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