[Terrapreta] modified TPI Kiln

[Peter Read]

Hi Sean, Duane

That is a very exciting concept Sean.  Something like it has been exciting me for nearly 20 years.  The end point at the moment is my essay in Climatic Change "Biosphere Carbon Stock Management" [visit  http://www.springerlink.com/content/rt798740226381q8/fulltext.pdf ] where I argue that reducing emissions is not enough to meet the increasingly threatening news from the climate science community.  The need is for carbon removals - getting C out nof the atmosphere and stocking it somewhere safer.  

Which is what biochar does, as well as producing bio-oil that can be used for burning fuel or processed into transportation fuels.  All of that after first separating out the high value food or fibre component of the crop.  Trees = timber + biooil + soil improvement + carbon removal = win-win-win-win. Or corn = grain + cellulosic ethanol + ligneous residue for soil improvement and carbon removal.

Your concept, like mine, also raises up some of the most impoverished people in the world and addresses peak oil, substituting biofuels for gasoline avgas and diesel.  

There's plenty of land in the world to meet all the needs of the human race so long as we start investing in soil quality rather than the 'field hydroponics' that ruins it.  So I don't think there is any need for nuclear unless population grows too much. A day or so ago a news program here was talking about the problems the Japanese have with young women choosing careers over babies and the population shrinking towards 40m from present 120.   Would that that were everyone's problem - then there would be more hope for the planet

Cheers
Peter

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sean K. Barry 
  To: still.thinking at computare.org 
  Cc: 'terrapreta' 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 6:50 AM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] modified TPI Kiln


  Hi Duane,

  I think nuclear energy is fine for the industrialized world to serve its voracious need for energy, but it will not remediate the climate or soil damage inflicted on the world by western societies.  Its in the third world, where electricity isn't really common, that making charcoal-in-soil and harvest bio-energy from biomass can make the biggest difference, I think.

  I had a thought last night.  Using two of the (FAO/TPI) kilns, two people can make about ~20 tons of charcoal in a 5 day week.  If carbon is traded on the Carbon Exchange at, say, only, $10/ton, then two men, under the Kyoto Protocol could make $10,000 per year, if they made charcoal for use in soil, and were paid the $10/ton to do this.  They also could harvest the energy from about two thousand tons of biomass and sell that too.  This decentralized power and charcoal production by many would benefit the third world economically, by giving them jobs (important climate and soil remediation collier jobs), it would help them feed themselves better, and it would help the industrialized economies get rid of CO2 from the atmosphere.

  Even if the average carbon footprint of a industrialized western world citizen is 10 tons a year, let's say, or even 20, paying $100-$200 per year would be all that would be required to rid the air of one's personally attributable CO2 emissions and 100 industrialized people could promote the economy of a village in the third world.

  I believe the vast numbers of people in the world can be marshalled to the cause (with economic incentives and the chance for improved livelihoods for them and their families) and we could all participate in the finance of or the work of worldwide soil and atmospheric remediation.

  Like I said last nice to Gerrit.  This is a grand plan.

  Regards,
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Duane Pendergast 
    To: 'Sean K. Barry' 
    Cc: 'terrapreta' 
    Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 8:31 AM
    Subject: RE: [Terrapreta] modified TPI Kiln


    Morning Sean,



    That's why we need nuclear energy.



    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/pendergastcarbon



    Duane





    To be sure, 'tis better to burn charcoal-as-fuel, than coal, oil, gasoline, diesel, or any other carbonated fossil fuel.  But, in the race to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and reduce atmospheric GHG levels, though, renewable biomass energy sources alone isn't up to that task.  Using these versus fossil fuels will only slow our demise.  Then, this charcoal-in-soil Terra Preta thing also just simply needs the charcoal.



    We can't do both charcoal-as-fuel and charcoal-in-soil.  I pick the latter, with charcoal made in simple kilns, by lots and lots of people, simple people, who do it because they need energy.  They will see that they can use the kiln to provide the energy source and will leave the charcoal for the soil.  If it all works out right, this improves the soil around their homes (not degrades the air quality) and it will make growing and getting food easier for them, too.



    Who can see this grand plan?





    Regards,



    SKB





      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Gerald Van Koeverden 

      To: Sean K. Barry 

      Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 2:47 PM

      Subject: modified TPI Kiln



      Sean,



      I was curious about the modifications you envision to make the TPI Kiln.  (I have visited the website for it)



      I see that Radke is using "six-inch diameter disc-shaped catalytic converters...available from many heating supply dealers"



      http://iron.wlu.edu/reports/Radtke_Charcoal_Kiln.htm



      "The next phase of the project will complete the design and build up of the transportable reactor, the "Clean Charcoal Kiln" (CCK).  It is a modification of a design from a United Nations, Food & Agriculture Organization / Tropical Products Institute (UN FAO/TPI) transportable metal kiln.  The kiln design is retrofitted with an external manifold, which is used to capture the energetic "producer gas" and prevent the release of the potent GHG, Methane-CH4."

      On 3-Feb-08, at 10:34 PM, Sean K. Barry wrote:





      Dear 'terrapreta' list members,



      Back in December 2007, Erich Knight cited to this list a funding opportunity with a US Government Grant Program, that is managed by the Wood Education and Resource Center, a division of the US Forest Service.  Applications for this grant opportunity are due tomorrow, Monday, February 4, 2008.  I have attached a copy of their "Request for Proposals" document and a copy of a near final draft of my application.



      Part of the grant application process asks applicants to show support for their project proposals from industry, academia, and other interested organizations.  I know this is very short notice (the application is due tomorrow!).  If any of you would review these materials I've attached and if you think you could write a "letter of support" for my project, sent to me, then I could attach some "letters of support" with my grant application submission tomorrow.  I would be very grateful for any help from the members here.  I would also enjoy fielding any comments from anyone about this.



      Always Best Regards,



      Sean K. Barry
      Principal Engineer/Owner
      Troposphere Energy, LLC
      11170 142nd St. N.
      Stillwater, MN 55082-4797
      (651)-285-0904 (Work/Cell)
      (651)-351-0711 (Home/Fax)

      sean.barry at juno.com





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