[Terrapreta] modified TPI Kiln

[Duane Pendergast]

Re your last point on Japan, Peter, I think Europe is maintaining a stable
population too or decreasing to some degree. I've read over the years there
is a tendency for population growth to slow or reverse in rich societies. I
guess people must get so busy playing with toys we don't have time for
reproduction. So maybe there is a need for nuclear energy to power toys for
the overpopulated parts of the world.

 

Duane

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Read [mailto:peter at read.org.nz] 
Sent: February 5, 2008 1:19 PM
To: still.thinking at computare.org; Sean K. Barry
Cc: 'terrapreta'
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] modified TPI Kiln

 

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 <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  

To: still.thinking at computare.org 

Cc: 'terrapreta' <mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>  

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 <mailto:still.thinking at computare.org>  

To: 'Sean K. <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  Barry' 

Cc: 'terrapreta' <mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>  

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 <mailto:vnkvrdn at yahoo.ca>  Koeverden 

To: Sean K. <mailto:sean.barry at juno.com>  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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