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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Final Draft of Mother Earth News Petition

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  • From: Paul Cereghino <paul.cereghino@comcast.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Final Draft of Mother Earth News Petition
  • Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:48:30 -0800

My reading of the November 2000 Permaculture Activist article explicitly said that Pain did not focus on detailing how he extracted methane from the compost.
Based on the accounts I have read, the methane is not derived from the compost, but rather a methane digester was imbedded in the pile to take advantage of compost heat to maximize the rate of methanogenesis. The primary function of the pile was production of heat (for hot water) and organic matter for farming, with enhancement of methane production as a supplemental yield.

Nor have I seen any explanation of this elsewhere.

Methane digestion technology is widely distributed. Google "methane digester small-scale" or other such combination; for example:
http://www.habmigern2003.info/biogas/Baron-digester/Baron-digester.htm (pulled out of the virtual hat).

The technology would mesh well with southern california residential development in chapparel - fire dependant ecosystems with a 15-20 year fire return interval butted up against high value human infrastructure. cyclic harvest would reduce fire risk and produce compost product for enhancement of residential development. What is missing is cost-effective (read energy intensive) harvest methods for steep slopes and the legal stick of a 'fire reduction' plan required for preliminary plat approval, and/or get integrated into neighborhood association cash flow.

~Paul




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