pellet fuel

proletariat

Tue Mar 06 19:57:19 -0800 2007

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I know ethanol, cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel are very attractive as fuels because they are liquid and easy to handle.  But, I am convinced the way to go and what really needs significant research is solid biofuels that require mainly physical rather than chemical processing to be converted to an easier to handle form such as pellets.  Solid biofuels, especially right now for heating homes, give the maximum bang for the buck and have a much greater potential to replace fossil fuels. 

pellet fuel

proletariat

Tue Mar 06 19:57:21 -0800 2007

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I know ethanol, cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel are very attractive as fuels because they are liquid and easy to handle.  But, I am convinced the way to go and what really needs significant research is solid biofuels that require mainly physical rather than chemical processing to be converted to an easier to handle form such as pellets.  Solid biofuels, especially right now for heating homes, give the maximum bang for the buck and have a much greater potential to replace fossil fuels. 

pellet fuel

Thomas Lord

Tue Mar 06 23:36:00 -0800 2007

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A multi-modal approach to green energy being a given, how does your plan relate to production and transport of essential goods, green agriculture, and so forth.  "heating homes" is a hopelessly narrow objective.   Does your solution scale to energy needs in geneal?  Does it compete in bad ways with food crops? etc.

-t

pellet fuel

proletariat

Wed Mar 07 07:36:55 -0800 2007

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That's why the research is needed.  The conversion to liquid fuels is too energy intensive.  Pellet based fuel uses plant fiber or wood and requires little processing.  Pellets can be made from grasses, the fall leaves from your yard etc.  What is needed are efficient means of converting the heat from pellets to energy. 

pellet fuel

proletariat

Wed Mar 07 08:10:41 -0800 2007

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Heating homes is potentially huge!  Home heating takes up 47% of home energy use.  Water heaters are an additional 17% see http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/uses/residence.html

In comparison with heating, lighting and appliances are only 24% - relatively small compared to heating.  Pellets are ideal for heating.  The amount of energy used for heating is not "hopelessly narrow" it is huge!

Pellets are made from almost any dry bio material such as wood sawdust, grasses - even fall leaves from your yard.

Research is needed for efficient use and manufacture of pellets.  Liquid fuels are too energy intensive and require too much processing to make much of an impact in the reduction of fossil fuel use.

pellet fuel

mrjk

Wed Mar 07 09:46:01 -0800 2007

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I don't buy it. At least as a primary source for home heating. It is a niche. "Pellets" will have the same low energy density that, say, the leaves they are made of have. You will end up transporting zillions of tons of the stuff around. That alone is a big inefficiency. It is also why power plants don't use this kind of thing in a major way. Secondly you will have to produce and sell burners unlike much of the things currently installed. Almost none of the current furnaces will work, which means you have to swap out 10's of millions of furnaces if you are going to make a dent in home heating. You will also have to deal with ash, at the megatonnage level. Third, transformation to a liquid isn't that inefficient, so the loss there won't be anywhere like enough to overcome this issues given above. Liquids can be sent through pipelines, can be used with all the current infrastructure. Even slurries I think would be more efficient then these low energy pellets. Using waste material for co-generation is important and pelletization could have some play, but I dont see it a major player in home heating.

pellet fuel

proletariat

Wed Mar 07 10:47:42 -0800 2007

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Fireplace inserts designed for pellets already on the market. Some pellet burners are designed to burn corn and are being put to use in the midwest.

Pellets are widely used for home heat in northern Europe.

Power Plants? I was talking mainly about home heat. When fossil fuels become scarce the only alternative is to retrofit home furnaces. Did I already say more research is needed?

Transformation to a liquid is very inefficient! Especially for ethanol - either cellulosic or fermentation based. Distillation is required. Ethanol cannot be sent through pipelines it must be trucked or sent by ship or rail!

Pellet material is almost always locally abundant. Only if you can't grow grass or trees would you have to transport significant distance.