[Terrapreta] Can Terra Preta Compete?

[MFH]

Michael, I'm not trying to drum up any business here, but Cocopeat is
superior to traditional peat, and far better that brown coal.

 

Have a look at: www.starfibre.com.au <http://www.starfibre.com.au/> . For
20ft and 40ft container lots pricing is around $A500/tonne ex-wharf
delivery. The material is compressed at least 5:1. A tonne will give around
12,000 litres of product when re-hydrated. Advantages include (a) no
nitrogen drawdown (b) will last at least 10 years in the soil (c) high
lignin content (d) great cation exchange capacity..

 

Max H

 

 

  _____  

From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Michael Bailes
Sent: Friday, 9 May 2008 1:37 AM
To: Terra Preta
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Can Terra Preta Compete?

 

I think Best Energies were hopeing for a $150-300 (AUD) a tonne for biomass
from waste.Placing the pyrolysis units near or at the source of waste
They were not sure they could get anything at the moment as there is no
market for char at present in Australia.
You might like to talk to Adriana Downie to get more up-to-date and accurate
information


What does coal sell for?
What does Victorian Brown coal sell for? (I'd like some for my garden; it's
the closest thing to peat around these days)
What is the equivalence in energy output from char Vrs. coal?
What emission problems are there with burning char?
Michael

2008/5/9 Gerry Kutney <gkutney at all-woodfibre.com>:

Generally, our preferred business model is derived from waste biomass.  To
be fair for terra preta, it is not necessarily that the production costs of
producing biocarbon could not support the agricultural  market (we still
need field trials to prove this), it is that there are other markets that
may be willing to pay much more.  In other words, the challenge to terra
preta may mainly come from competing markets, not the technology to produce
the biocarbon.

 

Michael, what is your interest in this area?

 

Gerry

 

From: Michael Bailes [mailto:michaelangelica at gmail.com] 
Sent: May 7, 2008 7:10 PM
To: Gerry Kutney; Terra Preta
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Can Terra Preta Compete?

 

Very good point.
What if charcoal was derived from waste and the energy harvested as in
modern pyrolysis technology?
michael

2008/5/8 Gerry Kutney <gkutney at all-woodfibre.com>:

BIOCARBON:  Can Terra Preta Compete?

Those of us in the biocarbon industry (i.e., those that have manufacturing
facilities for biocarbon and are marketing the material) watch with great
interest the countless articles on terra preta.  We are concerned, though,
about the misunderstanding of the value of biocarbon.  The biocarbon,
itself, is discussed as almost a waste product that is worth a few dollars
per ton.  Biocarbon has inherent value as a renewable energy pellet, with an
energy content of 30 GJ/te, which is similar to coal and almost double that
of a wood pellet.  Recently, a Korean steel manufacturer was reported to be
paying over $300 per tonne for coking coal.  If coal can be valued so
highly, how much higher in price should be a renewable (GHG neutral)
replacement for coal, i.e. biocarbon?  An even higher valued market opens
when the biocarbon is activated.  An important environmental role for
activated biocarbon is to remove mercury contamination from flew gas in
coal-fired power plants.  While costs increase to activate the material,
selling prices are often in excess of $1,000 per tonne.

 

This wonder of nature appears to have amazing impact on plant growth and has
a significant carbon negative footprint.  However, studies in someone's
backyard or flower garden, do not supply the rigour that government agencies
demand to prove the agricultural benefits of new products.  Extensive field
trials are required to prove and quantify the benefits of TP.  The issue is
especially important for terra preta since it does not fit the standard mold
of an agricultural product.  It is not a fertilizer or nutrient, yet it
stimulates plant growth.  This agricultural catalyst will likely be thus put
under even closer regulatory scrutiny; more reason to get proper field
trials under way.

 

We, at Alterna Energy (www.alternaenergy.ca), are investigating carrying out
such field trials on terra preta in Australia, and we will shortly be
promoting such trials in Canada.  These trials will only begin to quantify
the benefits of terra preta.  For the terra preta genii to be released from
its carbon bottle, many soils in varying climatic conditions must be tested.
In the meantime, Alterna Energy continues to market its biocarbon as
carbon-neutral, bioenergy pellets.  We eagerly await the opportunity to
build plants around the world to supply a future agricultural market.  

 

In the end, the success of terra preta will depend on demonstrated
agricultural and environmental benefits, and competing market demand.
Biocarbon is an amazing substance; so much so that various industries will
be vying for its almost magical abilities.  We will have to see if terra
preta can compete?  In other words, will the field trials demonstrate to the
agricultural community and related government agencies that terra preta is
worth, at least, what competing industries are willing to pay for it.  Of
course, we all hope that it can.

 

 

 

Gerry Kutney

Chief Operating Officer

Error! Filename not specified.

1-250-649-2459

 


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-- 
Michael the Archangel
"Politicians will never solve The Problem;
because they don't realise they are The Problem.".
-Robert ( Bob ) Parsons 1995




-- 
Michael the Archangel
"Politicians will never solve The Problem;
because they don't realise they are The Problem.".
-Robert ( Bob ) Parsons 1995

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