[Stoves] [Fwd: Re: Stoves in China]

[frank]

Stovers
I suggest there may be much better use for charcoal than returning it to 
the forest. It does contain some nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, 
calcium etc but there are better ways to add these (compost) and it may 
help improve the structure of a poor soil. I don't see the carbon being 
available to the plants as I have found it in thousand year old 
archeology sites. I would think mixing it in with small fuel that is 
densified may be a better use.
Frank

Jeff Davis wrote:

>Crispin wrote:
>  
>
>>As is obvious, if a person goes back into the forest to cut more wood,
>>then there is a problem.
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>>If I have a gasifier that requires 2 kg of wood each day, making 1 kg of
>>charcoal is not helping the forest re-grow.
>>    
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>The theory is that one would return the charcoal back to the forest.
>
>As a side note; truckers have a term for finding something to haul on the
>empty leg of their trip but the term escapes me at present.
>
>
>Jeff
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-- 
Frank Shields
Soil Control Lab
42 Hangar way
Watsonville, CA  95076
(831) 724-5422 tel
(831) 724-3188 fax
frank at compostlab.com
www.compostlab.com