[Terrapreta] eprida nitrogenous char

[Gerald Van Koeverden]

Has anybody heard what Eprida figures the production cost of their  
high nitrogen char would be to the producer using their equipment?   
What is the nitrogen content of their char?

the reason I'm asking is that nitrogen fertilizers are becoming much  
more expensive recently - $0.55-0.60/lb..  Is the cost of Eprida's  
nitrogen anywhere close?  Since charcoal absorbed nitrogen would be a  
more efficient source of supplying nitrogen, even if it were, let's  
say 30-40% more expensive, it might still be competitive, with the  
added bonus of adding charcoal to the soil...

Why
"Why are nitrogen prices so high?"

by Eddie Funderburg

"Nitrogen fertilizer prices have been high for several months now. In  
some cases, the price has gone up 50 percent or more, but why is it  
increasing? The price of nitrogen fertilizers is directly related to  
the price of natural gas (methane). Manufacturing 1 ton of anhydrous  
ammonia fertilizer requires 33,500 cubic feet of natural gas. This  
cost represents most of the costs associated with manufacturing  
anhydrous ammonia. When natural gas prices are $2.50 per thousand  
cubic feet, the natural gas used to manufacture 1 ton of anhydrous  
ammonia fertilizer costs $83.75. If the price rises to $7.00 per  
thousand cubic feet of natural gas, the cost of natural gas used in  
manufacturing that ton of anhydrous ammonia rises to $234.50, an  
increase to the manufacturer of $150.75."

http://www.noble.org/Ag/Soils/NitrogenPrices/Index.htm


"Larry Oldham, Extension soil specialist, said corn uses between 130  
and 250 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre, depending on the soil  
and crop management factors.

'Our nitrogen prices have been 55 to 60 cents a pound. That’s a  
historical high,' Oldham said."

http://msucares.com/news/print/agnews/an07/071219.html

Gerrit




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