[Terrapreta] Energy Source

[Ron Larson]

A few hours ago, you ended your note on thorium, asking:

> I wonder if there is anyone on this list who actually knows enough to 
> make rational comments on this matter?

RWL:   I am not that person, but I did read about the thorium idea and can't find a fault.  

    I do want to throw a different slant on the idea of using an external heat source that ought to be a competitor to thorium - solar energy.  It will not be as "dispatchable", but it would seem it has a similar set of advantages (minimal noxious gas release, no need to remove nitrogen from the pyrolysis gases, larger biochar output,  etc.)

    Just last week a team of four CU (University of Colorado - Boulder)students finished a semester-long ChE design class where solar-assisted biochar was the focus.   I and a few others threw in ideas from the sidelines.  The economics didn't look good enough yet (and solar thermal concentrators are similarly just taking off).  But some of the student design ideas may yet have merit.  I definitely would not encourage any on this list to try this high tech route this year- but I still hope to hear some day that solar heating for biochar makes sense.  Maybe thorium as well.

Ron
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