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.
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.