From lflj at intrex.net Thu Jul 3 14:21:45 2008 From: lflj at intrex.net (Lawrence F. London, Jr.) Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:21:45 -0400 Subject: [approtech] Downdraft stratified gasifier stove Message-ID: <486D18B9.8@intrex.net> -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] Energy crisis Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 11:04:17 -0500 From: Greg and Garbo Reply-To: Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group , Greg and Garbo To: SANET-MG at LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU Hi Folks, I fear my response may have a bit of lectuing and fingerpointing in it, but also some potential, if small, solutions to the problem. Let me know what you think, Greg think small!!! A project committee of Sustain Jefferson (WI), recently built a FEMA downdraft stratified gasifier. The gasifier stove creates hydrogen and carbon monoxide, both combustible gases, out of bio-mass. The gasifier stove has a number of positive features that are out-lined below. If you?d like to see the stove in operation, we have posted videos to YouTube. They can be accessed at the weblinks below. Please be forewarned; these video are similar to watching the Red Green show on PBS and may not be appropriate for adult viewers. Some discretion is necessary. Still, there is a lot of useful and practical information to be gathered from watching the videos. Please watch for update videos about our gasification project and related sustainability issues. Rating and commenting on the videos, draws attention to the issue. The FEMA Downdraft Stratified Gasifier Stove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBsG32n_8oc Running an Internal Combustion Engine on a Gasifier Stove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzox3lW9zok Attaching a Generator, Battery and Inverter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzox3lW9zok Cleaning the Gasifier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCr8Xux8QD8 Sustain Jefferson is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to restoring social and ecological systems thru The Natural Step (TNS) framework and methodologies. TNS is a system thinking approach to managing complex systems that uses four science and ethics based conditions to define ecological and social sustainability. An ABCD Compass methodology is used to Accept conditions, provide Baseline annalists, create a Compelling vision and Direct action. Sustain Jefferson strives to enable people, skills and ideas to come together in a fertile atmosphere that enables restorative ideas to grow and thrive. The Gasifier Project is one of those ideas. Bio-mass Gasification Small-scale, distributed, biomass-gasification, co-gen energy systems could be an agriculturally restorative and profitable enterprise, if done in a Holistic, local and ethical manner. Heat/electricity/carbon dioxide/Bio-char (charcoal) can be produced in this system from a perennial woody or cellulosic rich, feedstock crop. Heat, power and electricity can be produced for local, direct consumption, providing most of the farmstead energy needs. Much of the carbon (over 50 %) from the feedstock flowing into the gasification stove remains sequestered in the form of charcoal (agri-char) that can be returned to the soil, thereby enabling a carbon-negative energy system. Bio-mass Gasification and the Environment Woody and cellulosic plants capture solar energy and store it in a form that is readily utilized in gasifier stoves. The crop, if a perennial and diverse plant community, will grow and add organic matter and carbon to the soil in the form of yearly leaf drop and sympathetic life processes. The bio-mass, when harvested causes some root die-back adding more organic matter to the soil. Other ecological services; such as pollination, niche building, soil friability, fertility, bio-diversity, also occur in the diverse crop planting, adding an important economic and ecological contribution to our social condition. And finally, the bio-char by-product of this energy system can be returned to the soil adding still more carbon that acts as an ecological catalyst, contributing significantly to the ecological services of the land. This represents a truly restorative kind of agriculture that can be a small local part of the solution to our energy crisis. Local Scale System These biomass stove/energy systems can be built at nearly any scale from back-yard/household, to farmstead, to neighborhood, to community scale. I believe the community scale is as large as practical, if the system is going to be sustainable in the long term, because of the external costs of shipping, transport support of biomass to the gasification site. Small, local, distributed, gasification energy systems are more aligned with sustainable ideals and ethical values than large central energy systems. Bio-mass Gasification and the Economy These gasification energy systems can function within current economic conditions and thrive because they are built on an agricultural methodology that is restorative and ethical, yet complimentary to Classical Capitalism. Feeding electricity back into the grid may be an option for the producer in some communities. District heat is an option in others. Even power can be utilized in some instances. The localness of the system increases economic multiplier effect and builds social and economic capital in the community. These systems work to internalize the cost of production and restore and build social and ecological capital in the community. Permanent plantings can reduce erosion and actually create soil creating the ecological capital for agricultural to flourish. Permanent plantings require greatly reduce input; no fertilizer (except Bio-char and site produced organic matter), no pesticides (unless you want to), and long cycle harvest methods. Most of the costs of industrial agriculture (many of them externalized) can be eliminated. Bio-mass gasification, co-gen systems that are local in nature are not subject energy price fluctuations and availability, or to take over by corporate interests. In short, Bio-mass Gasification, if done in a holistic, ethical manner, can create social and ecological capital and foster a restorative Permacultural energy system. It can provide profitable jobs for farmers and entrepreneurs, especially as Peak Oil and other fossil fuels come mainstream. And it can add to the energy security of the farm, the farmer and the community. Sincerely, Greg David From lflj at intrex.net Thu Jul 3 14:45:43 2008 From: lflj at intrex.net (Lawrence F. London, Jr.) Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:45:43 -0400 Subject: [approtech] Downdraft stratified gasifier stove Message-ID: <486D1E57.4050108@intrex.net> I have started a new mailing list on appropriate technology. You may be interested in joining this. Also, an accompanying one, machinist to help those involved with prototyping or production of designs Appropriate Technology Forum http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/approtech archives http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/approtech/ Babington Oil Burner http://aipengineering.com/babington/Babington_Oil_Burner_HOWTO.html Marcin Jakubowski's Open Farm Tech . Org http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Main_Page Boundary Layer Turbine (Tesla Turbine) http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Boundary_Layer_Turbine Machinist Forum http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/machinist archives http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/machinist/ info http://www.ibiblio.org/machineshop/ machinist bookmarks http://www.ibiblio.org/machineshop/Machinist-Bookmarks.html From david.glober at yahoo.com Tue Jul 8 23:23:18 2008 From: david.glober at yahoo.com (David Glober) Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:23:18 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [approtech] People-Powered Hair Salon in Paris, 1945 Message-ID: <451628.69103.qm@web46005.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> Bicycle-Powered Response to 1945 Electricity Shortage: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/people-powered-hair-salon.php Pedal-A-Watt: http://www.econvergence.net/electro.htm David Glober ~ San Francisco Recent Permaculture Design Cert Grad david.glober at yahoo.com --- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/approtech/attachments/20080708/f11fcba3/attachment.htm From lflj at intrex.net Mon Jul 21 17:17:37 2008 From: lflj at intrex.net (Lawrence F. London, Jr.) Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:17:37 -0400 Subject: [approtech] Next Gen Wind Energy you have Never Seen Message-ID: <4884FCF1.9040804@intrex.net> Next Gen Wind Energy you have Never Seen http://www.hacknmod.com/displayMOD.php?hack=1586 "We've all become accustomed to seeing the typical triple blade wind farms on the horizon. Hopefully, times are about to change. New helix shaped, low profile wind turbine designs can easily atop any building or structure, providing it with power." " Helix Wind Turbine Quietrevolution QR5 SideWinder Disk Wind Turbine Wind Belt " From lflj at intrex.net Fri Jul 25 19:23:31 2008 From: lflj at intrex.net (Lawrence F. London, Jr.) Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:23:31 -0400 Subject: [approtech] Amberwaves Message-ID: <488A6073.6000008@intrex.net> Great information on growing rice on the homestead. Does anyone have any ino on home shop built rice huller/thresher machines; approtech designs on the Web, etc.? - LL Amberwaves http://www.amberwaves.org/index.html "Welcome to Amberwaves, the network of concerned friends, families, farms, and communities devoted to preserving natural and organic rice, wheat, and other essential foods from the hazards of genetic engineering (GE)." Contents: * Home * Articles * Media * Growing Rice * Publications * About Us * Links * Let Them Eat Ethanol * Wheat Petition * China Petition * Donation * Contact