[Biofuel] EPA seizes thousands of illegally imported engines
Hmmm, I thought that Walmart lawnmower my friend bought ran awfully stinky! (LOL) regards tallex EPA seizes thousands of illegally imported engines http://www.alternate-energy.net/N/news.php?detail=n1153185433.news Get your daily alternative energy news Alternate Energy Resource Network 1000+ news sources-resources updated daily http://www.alternate-energy.net Next Generation Grid http://groups.yahoo.com/group/next_generation_grid/ Tomorrow-energy http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tomorrow-energy/ Alternative Energy Politics http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alternative_Energy_Politics/ Earth_Rescue_International http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Earth_Rescue_International/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery
You can buy it now. Here is what I found from http://www.vrbpower.com/technology/faqs.html - the Canadian company which sells VRB. More information about the technology available on their site. 11. What is the Cost per kW? What is the Incremental Cost of Additional Storage Capacity? The cost is quoted in $/kWh or $/MWh since the VRB-ESS is an Energy Storage System and should not be considered a UPS or even a generator. Although the VRB-ESS provides the full UPS capability, its primary use is for energy storage for long periods, which UPS and conventional technologies cannot provide. As an approximate cost, systems are priced between $350-$600 per kWh, sizes ranging from a few hundred kW's to MW size systems. As the size of the system in kWh increases, the cost per unit decreases significantly. The incremental cost of storage for large systems is approximately $150 per kWh. Quoting D. Mindock [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Ref: Vanadium redox battery This seems to be the battery we've all been waiting for. I wonder what'll it cost here in the US? Peace, D. Mindock More info at: http://www.answers.com/topic/vanadium-redox-battery - Original Message - From: Kirk McLoren To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; biofuel Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 7:00 PM Subject: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/04/the_vanadium_ba.php A new mass energy storage technology is on the cusp of entering mainstream society. The Japanese are currently using it on a grand scale, the Canadians have comprehensively evaluated it and soon Australians will have the opportunity to replace their old lead-acid batteries with a Vanadium Redox Battery alternative. There are no emissions, no disposal issues, no loss of charge, the construction materials are 'green' and the battery can be charged and discharged simultaneously. So, is the Vanadium Battery as good as it sounds and more importantly, is it the solution to our energy storage problems? Quite simply...Yes. The potential of this system can be easily summed up in one word: 100% recharge/discharge. Well that's slightly more than one word, but still it is an impressive group of words. I'm a little excited here, so let me back track a little and explain the importance of Vanadium Batteries to our very existence. It has been possible for quite some time to successfully gather energy through a variety of renewable energy sources, in particular solar and wind. The main problem however, which is also true for fossil fuel energy generation, is the storage of the energy. There is no point in generating surplus uber-watts on one sunny and windy day to find the next day is still and raining and worst of all there is no power to play the new DVD of Stainless Steel Rat on your suped-up 80 inch LCD screen (sorry...just wishful thinking). If the energy cannot be stored on the day of bountiful bliss than a renewable energy system is useless. snip ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] breakthrough - store CH4 at 500psi instead of 3600
http://columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=20176 Missourian News June 8, 2006 Breakthrough signals future low-cost fuel Automotive gas tanks arent yet compatible for the natural gas By ISABELLE ROUGHOLprint story e-mail story contact us Lacy Hardcastle, an MU physics major, finishes preparing ground corncob to be heated into carbon. This is part of MU professor Peter Pfeifers research project, which could allow vehicles to run on natural gases within the next five years. (Matt Heindl/ Missourian) MU physics professor Peter Pfeifer has been buying ground corncob by the pound as part of a research project that could put a natural-gas tank in many American cars in the next five years. Pfeifer and his team heat the ground cobs at high temperatures in an oxygen-free atmosphere to reduce them to carbon, which is then pressed into round one-inch thick briquettes. Its almost like charcoal that you put on your Fourth of July barbecue, Pfeifer said. Some people call them the Missouri hockey pucks. Then 216 carbon briquettes are placed into aluminum tubes. To the untrained eye, it seems they are taking up space but in fact, the carbon provides greater storage capacity for natural gas than an empty tank. Natural gas is cheaper and cleaner-burning than gasoline. The equivalent in natural gas of one gallon of unleaded gasoline costs $1.40 or the price of about a half gallon of gas. Burning natural gas produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and it produces virtually no exhaust. Natural gas is also easier to procure: 85 percent of the current U.S. consumption is produced domestically, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and most of the rest comes from Canada. If its such a winning proposition, why arent you and I using such cars? Pfeifer said. The answer is that while automobile engines can burn natural gas without modification, doing so would require a different kind of fuel tank. Storing natural gas requires heavy steel high-pressure cylinders that are expensive and impractical for use in automobiles. You have to give up your trunk space or passenger space, Pfeifer said. Only six stations sell natural gas in Missouri, and four of them only sell to local governments who use natural gas vehicles, or NGVs, for public transportation and other government functions. Gas stations resist offering natural gas because of the high cost of storing and distributing it and because there are very few NGVs on the market today. Kansas City has a central fleet of 218 NGVs. Next month, a team from the Midwest Research Institute led by Phil Buckley, who works with Pfeifer, will mount a prototype low-pressure tank on a pickup truck owned by the city. If the experiment works, Pfeifer and his team will have overcome the biggest obstacle to a wider use of NGVs. They could also help convince the automotive industry to begin building cars and trucks that burn natural gas. If we get an investor interested in this technology, it could be revolutionary, said Sam Swearngin, fleet superintendent in Kansas City. Peter Pfeifer has converted ground corncob into gas-storing carbon briquettes. He says natural gas is a better fuel. (MATT HEINDL/ Missourian) Pfeifers coworkers in MUs department of physics jokingly call him a fractalist. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf in his office is dedicated to the topic of fractals, his lifes work. Fractals are objects in which a pattern is constantly repeated so that no matter the scale, the object always looks the same. Think cauliflower: A head of the vegetable looks like one of the flowers, which is composed of smaller flowers, and so on. As you zoom in, the substructure looks like the whole, Pfeifer said. Cumulus clouds and human lungs are fractals. So are the pores inside the carbon that is produced by charring the ground corncobs. These microscopic cavities in the carbon, nanopores, hold the natural gas 95 percent of which is methane. Those pores are almost like a sponge, they suck up the methane, Pfeifer said. In this carbon, the methane, at a much lower pressure, is held at almost the same density as it would be in big cylinder tanks. Because the pressure is low, 500 pounds per square inch instead of 3,600, the tank can be made flat and rectangular, allowing it to be attached to a car like a regular gasoline tank. Until Pfeifers work, that was considered impossible for a natural gas tank because a rectangular shape is less resistant to high pressure. At high pressure, this would blow up in your face, Pfeifer said. The carbon system could also be used to capture the methane that emanates from landfills and transport it to central processing facilities, thus transforming a pollutant methane is a greenhouse gas four times more potent than carbon dioxide into a renewable energy. If it becomes a reality, Pfeifers tank could be another energy-related benefit for the region. Corn farmers already stand to gain from
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
As an option, why not consider buying power off your neighbour (in lieu of running a diesel genset), cabling the system permanently underground, and using an off-grid system to supplement. This way, in periods of clouds, you could charge off the grid, and use the grid connection for low power items like refrigeration. The cable is not very big to run a 300m 220v, 20 A system. Costs go up as the cable size/current draw increases. regards Doug On Tuesday 18 July 2006 1:27, Ken Provost wrote: On Jul 17, 2006, at 4:17 PM, Appal Energy wrote: .. you need to size your consumption and determine where you can shave peak and continual use to determine your final costs. There may be no inconvenience to tolerate. I actually did all that last year, but I believe I was not sufficiently daring. After some more research and considering all the great inputs from the group, I believe an offgrid PV system of around 2000 watts nominal, with some batteries and a 5kW genset, can be had for nearly the same $ as PGE wants. With some careful planning, my needs should be covered in the summer without running the genset much if at all. I'm kind of curious though. If you don't have electricity to the manger yet, and you're technically already off the grid by virtue of not having any substitute as of yet, just what have you been doing for power up to this point? 10 awg extension cord 300 feet to a 20A outlet in the neighbor's garage :-) Or are you still applying the earth plaster and getting ready to wire the building? Garage is done, house is up to floor joists -- garage bales are lime plastered, and the wiring is done, from the (as yet unconnected) breaker box... Personally? You'll be a much happier camper if you stay off the grid. Mainstream isn't where it's at. For people who seem to have your penchant, me thinks you'd always kick yourself in the butt for not having a go at it right out of the chute. I think you're spot on there -- after all the financial analysis and the amps and watts, it comes down to lifestyle and spiritual issues, like so much else. Thanks again for your (and everyone's) inputs on this. I'll let you know how it plays out... -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery
Dear Group, My company is working with the orignal designers of the batteries here in Australia. If you need to more detail information about the batteries I can email more technical informaton about them as I do'nt want to flood the group with to many Files. I don't know about Canada but here in Australia the smallest unit that they are producing is a 10kw/h system that will retail for about $25,000 australian. The maxium power that can be drawn is 5kw for 2 hours or any part of that. The system has a round trip efficency of about 80% and can be charged and discharged at a rate of 5kw/h. - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 2:00 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery You can buy it now. Here is what I found from http://www.vrbpower.com/technology/faqs.html - the Canadian company which sells VRB. More information about the technology available on their site. 11. What is the Cost per kW? What is the Incremental Cost of Additional Storage Capacity? The cost is quoted in $/kWh or $/MWh since the VRB-ESS is an Energy Storage System and should not be considered a UPS or even a generator. Although the VRB-ESS provides the full UPS capability, its primary use is for energy storage for long periods, which UPS and conventional technologies cannot provide. As an approximate cost, systems are priced between $350-$600 per kWh, sizes ranging from a few hundred kW's to MW size systems. As the size of the system in kWh increases, the cost per unit decreases significantly. The incremental cost of storage for large systems is approximately $150 per kWh. Quoting D. Mindock [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Ref: Vanadium redox battery This seems to be the battery we've all been waiting for. I wonder what'll it cost here in the US? Peace, D. Mindock More info at: http://www.answers.com/topic/vanadium-redox-battery - Original Message - From: Kirk McLoren To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; biofuel Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 7:00 PM Subject: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/04/the_vanadium_ba.php A new mass energy storage technology is on the cusp of entering mainstream society. The Japanese are currently using it on a grand scale, the Canadians have comprehensively evaluated it and soon Australians will have the opportunity to replace their old lead-acid batteries with a Vanadium Redox Battery alternative. There are no emissions, no disposal issues, no loss of charge, the construction materials are 'green' and the battery can be charged and discharged simultaneously. So, is the Vanadium Battery as good as it sounds and more importantly, is it the solution to our energy storage problems? Quite simply...Yes. The potential of this system can be easily summed up in one word: 100% recharge/discharge. Well that's slightly more than one word, but still it is an impressive group of words. I'm a little excited here, so let me back track a little and explain the importance of Vanadium Batteries to our very existence. It has been possible for quite some time to successfully gather energy through a variety of renewable energy sources, in particular solar and wind. The main problem however, which is also true for fossil fuel energy generation, is the storage of the energy. There is no point in generating surplus uber-watts on one sunny and windy day to find the next day is still and raining and worst of all there is no power to play the new DVD of Stainless Steel Rat on your suped-up 80 inch LCD screen (sorry...just wishful thinking). If the energy cannot be stored on the day of bountiful bliss than a renewable energy system is useless. snip ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] The South is Different
Democrat also means annoying pointy-headed Northen Liberal Down South. You'd be surprised at how freely the N word flies around, even in polite, well-educated company. Me, I made a decision not to use it. Jason Katie wrote: just exactly what is black, white? negro, african american, that damn N-word, pastey, cracker, honkey... its all a waste, so why do people think in these terms? its demented. Jason ICQ#: 154998177 MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Appal Energy [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 6:27 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] The truth about where to stand on global warming JJJN, I fully agree, but then I know some folks that will vote Republican to save the Guns - and they hate everything else about Republicans. Democrats aren't going to take anyone's guns away. Well, save for automatics, sawed-off shotguns and perhaps assault rifles. Any NRA-er who thinks otherwise isn't smart enough to be in possession of a gun permit, much less be allowed with 20 parsecs of a firearm. By the by..., you do know that in the deep south, veiled polite-speak (code) for Negro/African-American/Black is Democrat, don't you? When many speak of Democrats in a snotty nosed manner it's almost always got a racial teint to it. In some respects, even if they're looking a white person straight in the face and blaming the Democrats, they've actually got a lit fuse behind the mental curtain that's blaming blacks. All a bit sad. Some kind of inside, twisted, cliquish joke. You'd think adults would grow out of it. I guess not. I'm not sure I follow here, Would this be like the media driven advertisement sector financed by the corporate greed sector pushing people into the waste lifestyle? Or did I miss this one? More like the PR offices in the corporate greed sector manipulating and creating wants/needs where none previously existed. Media is just the delivery mechanism. Todd Swearingen JJJN wrote: Todd, Points all well taken, see below. Appal Energy wrote: I would tend to believe that if you're expressing your belief / faith on paper, you should be the one to polish the words. Well actually I am expressing a view point on Global Warming that targets a specific audience. The list has already given me several angles that I can explore and incorporate, such as yours. By myself only, you can see the example of the narrow perspective that I thought of beginning this thread. As for context, it's beyond me how those who are spiritually/religiously inclined fail to be the first on the environmental bandwagon. I fully agree, but then I know some folks that will vote Republican to save the Guns - and they hate everything else about Republicans. They only care about a single issue, while Bush sells of public lands where they would use the guns to hunt. STRANGE but true A) Seems a trifle arrogant and presumptuous to destroy what was given to us by a creator (presuming that's a person's belief system). B) There's a difference between having dominion and destroying / desecrating. Something tells me that if there is a God, he or she is capable of knowing the difference and basing judgment on those who exercise indiscretion. C) For those who believe in the sanctity of life, there is an incumbent mindset that must include all life, not just that or those within our personal sphere of influence, nationality, creed or belief system. This includes future generations - those who are yet to exist - whose lives are being maimed, mangled or outright prevented by contemporary decision making, inclusive of consumer choices and favorite programming mechanisms. (Why do you think they call it programming?) I'm not sure I follow here, Would this be like the media driven advertisement sector financed by the corporate greed sector pushing people into the waste lifestyle? Or did I miss this one? D) For those who believe in the principles spoken of by their preferred deity, which is the greater evil? To end a life at gunpoint or other immediate fashion in the pursuit of self-interest or to end a life or multiple lives by poisoning the waters, air or land beneath our feet in the pursuit of self-interest? It really is the big picture we so often miss, good point. But what the heck. What's a little autism, ashma, Minimata disease and leukemia amongst friends as long as we can fool ourselves into believing that we are civilized? Todd Swearingen Thanks Todd, all good points and well taken. Jim Michael wrote: Some comments added between *** and Very Respectfully, Michael @ Http://RecoveryByDiscovery.com - Original Message - From: JJJN [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: BIO Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 3:56 PM Subject: [Biofuel] The truth about where to stand
Re: [Biofuel] What is happening?
I prefer olives without pimental. Joe Mike Weaver wrote: Pimental is right. Washing is useless, and if you do, might as well mist. Titration is for weenies. SUV's rule. You have to filter everthing. Even the lye. I use DSE amd love it. Happy now ;-)? Joe Street wrote: It's summer( in the northern hemisphere) and we all know how to make biofuel so we are all out enjoying it? Hey should we start an argument? ;) Joe Hakan Falk wrote: I never, I never saw so little activities on the list before. Missing it. Hakan ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Home energy system ...re castings
I did that last night, a lot of info that Google hadn't displayed is available there. Maybe google doesn't catalog Yahoo group pages. Anyway, it kept me busy looking at ideas and tweaks, information, etc. Thanks! doug Kirk McLoren wrote: If you are serious about that endevour join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HotAirEngineSociety/ there are several members who have built their own. Kirk */Logan vilas [EMAIL PROTECTED]/* wrote: -- Contentment comes not from having more, but from wanting less. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This email is constructed entirely with OpenSource Software. No Microsoft databits have been incorporated herein. All existing databits have been constructed from recycled databits. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Home energy system ...solar and wind
Sounds like a lot of great designing. The FeCl seems like fine material, the corrosiveness would require confinement in a materail that would be impervious. I still keep going through Teton and Redrok information, I've looked through both a while back, Redrok (Duane Johnson) is where I got the suntracking electronics for my dish. And his site keeps growing and is worth going back to look at new ideas, plans and designs. Teton has a lot of great numbers for calculating essential number for a solar system, and are applicable easily to the on the cheap design I'm putting together. I'm interested in the least expensive windmill, I do get a fair amount of wind, even here in my valley, but it gusts from one side, then the other, and not very consistently from one direction. I studied the Savonius rotor and find it to be perhaps the best, for my locale, but my neighbor, who lives at the top of the hill has a good directional wind much of the time, is also interested in alternate energy, (he built his passive solar, earth bermed house over 20 years ago, donated a diesel truck to my experiment with biofuels, uses my biodiesel in his other diesel truck... and he'd benefit well from a windmill that would be able to produce some or all of his energy needs.) I take it that the 20X20 section of parabola is measured in feet? or inches? The 10' parabola that I'm using will ignite a 2X4 stud in about 3 seconds. And makes smoke immediately. I have no thermometer that can actually give me the temperature of its focus, but I do know that I have no desire to feel the heat with my hand! LOL doug swanson Kirk McLoren wrote: years ago I penciled a 20x20 section of a parabola (cassegrain) and proposed storing thermal energy as latent heat in a m3 of FeCl. As I recall it was comprable to 5 US gallons of gasoline. I think the phase change was around 600F. Since the aperture to the thermal storage was the focal point and it re expanded before hitting the receiving media reradiation was reduced. Proposed insulation was foam glass which is used commercially by the refrigeration industry. The solar concentrator plans Teton has may be a good starting point. Redrok is another good resource. All the best Kirk BTW photos of the worlds least expensive windmill for pumping water should be soon. All I have left to do are the sails. Is basically a Persian windmill but I have dispensed with the wall and made it omnidirectional by making the sails self furling. A merrygoround and bedsheets. :) */doug swanson [EMAIL PROTECTED]/* wrote: I agree that in tight times, basic or even primitive skills are more valuable than gold. Basics in Agriculture, animal husbandry, health maintenance, knowing how to preserve food without supplies you'd have to get at a grocer's store, blacksmithing, wood working, etc. are all skills that should be present in what I see as being a new birth of communities which will establish themselves once TEOTWAWKI happens. Energy systems can be a large part of this, since my wood heater currently relies on a chainsaw to supply fuel, and my biodiesel relies on restaurant wastes and petro-derived methanol, and industry produced hydroxides, I still don't feel that my current situation is sustainable. Solar makes a lot of sense in my location, and I've been working in that direction, but with a twist. The 10' parabolic collector can collect a lot of heat, and rather than convert it immediately to electricity, which I'd then have to store in some sort of battery (with all the problems that batteries come with, ie. disposal when they don't work anymore, and then having to acquire new ones..., ) it makes better sense to store the heat from the collector in 55 gallon drums of water, which can actually make up the rear greenhouse wall... I've been studying Stirling engines for some time now, guess I've read everything that Google can show me about them, crammed all the ideas into my head, noted the major disadvantages of most of them, (They've got to be airtight, precision power piston, most aren't self-starting, etc...) and have come up with a design that addresses these problems, and eliminates them by integrating much of the engine into 3 moving parts. Heat goes in, electricity comes out. I really would like to build the prototype, but can't afford a machine shop to make a couple of its parts. Maybe someone on this list has the right tools to make the parts, and would like to see more detailed plans on this. Eventually, when a working prototype is producing electricity, the plans with step by step guidance will be under the open information license The point of the whole system is that wherever possible, the parts should be stuff that
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
He can unless the power line crosses a right of way (road) then it becomes a state issue.(PUC) KirkDoug Foskey [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: As an option, why not consider buying power off your neighbour (in lieu of running a diesel genset), cabling the system permanently underground, and using an off-grid system to supplement. This way, in periods of clouds, you could charge off the grid, and use the grid connection for low power items like refrigeration. The cable is not very big to run a 300m 220v, 20 A system. Costs go up as the cable size/current draw increases.regards DougOn Tuesday 18 July 2006 1:27, Ken Provost wrote: On Jul 17, 2006, at 4:17 PM, Appal Energy wrote: .. you need to size your consumption and determine where you can shave peak and continual use to determine your final costs. There may be no "inconvenience" to tolerate. I actually did all that last year, but I believe I was not sufficiently daring. After some more research and considering all the great inputs from the group, I believe an offgrid PV system of around 2000 watts nominal, with some batteries and a 5kW genset, can be had for nearly the same $ as PGE wants. With some careful planning, my needs should be covered in the summer without running the genset much if at all. I'm kind of curious though. If you don't have electricity to the manger yet, and you're technically already off the grid by virtue of not having any substitute as of yet, just what have you been doing for power up to this point? 10 awg extension cord 300 feet to a 20A outlet in the neighbor's garage :-) Or are you still applying the earth plaster and getting ready to wire the building? Garage is done, house is up to floor joists -- garage bales are lime plastered, and the wiring is done, from the (as yet unconnected) breaker box... Personally? You'll be a much happier camper if you stay off the grid. Mainstream isn't where it's at. For people who seem to have your penchant, me thinks you'd always kick yourself in the butt for not having a go at it right out of the chute. I think you're spot on there -- after all the financial analysis and the amps and watts, it comes down to lifestyle and spiritual issues, like so much else. Thanks again for your (and everyone's) inputs on this. I'll let you know how it plays out... -K___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Home energy system ...solar and wind
yes in feet. 40m2 roughlyMy windmill is pressure on the sails to adapt to wind changes - no generator, blades and tail toyaw. Just changes which sheet billows and which collapsesKirkdoug swanson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sounds like a lot of great designing. The FeCl seems like fine material, the corrosiveness would require confinement in a materail that would be impervious.I still keep going through Teton and Redrok information, I've looked through both a while back, Redrok (Duane Johnson) is where I got the suntracking electronics for my dish. And his site keeps growing and is worth going back to look at new ideas, plans and designs. Teton has a lot of great numbers for calculating essential number for a solar system, and are applicable easily to the "on the cheap" design I'm putting together.I'm interested in the least expensive windmill, I do get a fair amount of wind, even here in my valley, but it gusts from one side, then the other, and not very consistently from one direction. I studied the Savonius rotor and find it to be perhaps the best, for my locale, but my neighbor, who lives at the top of the hill has a good directional wind much of the time, is also interested in alternate energy, (he built his passive solar, earth bermed house over 20 years ago, donated a diesel truck to my experiment with biofuels, uses my biodiesel in his other diesel truck... and he'd benefit well from a windmill that would be able to produce some or all of his energy needs.)I take it that the 20X20 section of parabola is measured in feet? or inches?The 10' parabola that I'm using will ignite a 2"X4" stud in about 3 seconds. And makes smoke immediately. I have no thermometer that can actually give me the temperature of its focus, but I do know that I have no desire to feel the heat with my hand! LOLdoug swansonKirk McLoren wrote: years ago I penciled a 20x20 section of a parabola (cassegrain) and proposed storing thermal energy as latent heat in a m3 of FeCl. As I recall it was comprable to 5 US gallons of gasoline. I think the phase change was around 600F. Since the aperture to the thermal storage was the focal point and it re expanded before hitting the receiving media reradiation was reduced. Proposed insulation was foam glass which is used commercially by the refrigeration industry. The solar concentrator plans Teton has may be a good starting point. Redrok is another good resource. All the best Kirk BTW photos of the worlds least expensive windmill for pumping water should be soon. All I have left to do are the sails. Is basically a Persian windmill but I have dispensed with the wall and made it omnidirectional by making the sails self furling. A merrygoround and bedsheets. :) */doug swanson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>/* wrote: I agree that in tight times, basic or even primitive skills are more valuable than gold. Basics in Agriculture, animal husbandry, health maintenance, knowing how to preserve food without supplies you'd have to get at a grocer's store, blacksmithing, wood working, etc. are all skills that should be present in what I see as being a new birth of communities which will establish themselves once TEOTWAWKI happens. Energy systems can be a large part of this, since my wood heater currently relies on a chainsaw to supply fuel, and my biodiesel relies on restaurant "wastes" and petro-derived methanol, and industry produced hydroxides, I still don't feel that my current situation is sustainable. Solar makes a lot of sense in my location, and I've been working in that direction, but with a twist. The 10' parabolic collector can collect a lot of heat, and rather than convert it immediately to electricity, which I'd then have to store in some sort of battery (with all the problems that batteries come with, ie. disposal when they don't work anymore, and then having to acquire new ones..., ) it makes better sense to store the heat from the collector in 55 gallon drums of water, which can actually make up the rear greenhouse wall... I've been studying Stirling engines for some time now, guess I've read everything that Google can show me about them, crammed all the ideas into my head, noted the major disadvantages of most of them, (They've got to be airtight, precision power piston, most aren't self-starting, etc...) and have come up with a design that addresses these problems, and eliminates them by integrating much of the engine into 3 moving parts. Heat goes in, electricity comes out. I really would like to build the prototype, but can't afford a machine shop to make a couple of its parts. Maybe someone on this list has the right tools to make the parts, and would like to see more detailed plans on this. Eventually, when a working prototype is producing electricity, the plans with step by step guidance will be under the "open information license" The point of the whole system is that wherever possible, the parts should be stuff that can be found at the junkyard, and that when
Re: [Biofuel] breakthrough - store CH4 at 500psi instead of 3600
Interesting indeed, but what I don't see is how densely the gas is thereafter stored. As in, for a say 10-gallon gas tank sized bundle of these briquettes, how much gasoline equivalent natural gas is being stored? A gallon per gallon equivalent? Two? Three? How much does the whole assemblage, tank plus briquettes plus gas, weigh compared to a tank of gas or ethanol? For that matter, how's the gas extracted if the carbon pores soak methane up like a sponge? These are the questions whose answers interest me most. -Kurt ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] breakthrough - store CH4 at 500psi instead of 3600
If it's like the hydride storage of hydrogen, you get it out of the sponge by heating it. And when you are putting it in, it released alot of heat (just as if you were compressing gas).I bet small contaminations (such as from biogass produced methane) would poison the sponge -- I know that the hydride storage tanks are pretty sensitive to that. ZekeOn 7/18/06, Kurt Nolte [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Interesting indeed, but what I don't see is how densely the gas isthereafter stored. As in, for a say 10-gallon gas tank sized bundle ofthese briquettes, how much gasoline equivalent natural gas is beingstored? A gallon per gallon equivalent? Two? Three? How much does the whole assemblage, tank plus briquettes plus gas, weigh compared to atank of gas or ethanol? For that matter, how's the gas extracted if thecarbon pores soak methane up like a sponge?These are the questions whose answers interest me most. -Kurt___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Biodiesel is mandatory in Illinois
From the Illinois League of Conservation Voters latest e-newsletter. Peace, D. Mindock As of July 1st , all state, municipal, or county governments, school districts, public or community colleges or universities, and mass transit agencies in the state of Illinois are required to fuel all of their diesel vehicles with a biodiesel blend of at least 2% (when refueling takes place at a bulk central facility). WHY SWITCH TO BIODIESEL? Biodiesel is a completely renewable energy source; as long as we can grow vegetables, we can make more! The use of biodiesel: a.. drastically reduces the release of pollutants through vehicle omissions: B100 (100% biodiesel) fuel emissions contain 47% less carbon monoxide than diesel emissions (U.S. Dept. of Energy) b.. reduces the carcinogenicity of vehicle fuel by 20% for a B20 (20%) biodiesel blend (U.S. Dept. of Energy) c.. and since biodiesel is non-toxic, replacing petroleum with biodiesel reduces groundwater contamination and the risk of ecological disasters resulting from petroleum spills. Not only is biodiesel good for the environment, it's good for the Illinois economy . In the U.S., biodiesel is most often produced from soybean oil. Since Illinois is the leading soybean-producing state in the U.S., buying biodiesel means buying from Illinois farmers. COMMUNITY CORNER Congratulations Decatur, Illinois for switching to 2% biodiesel! Communities and companies that have made the switch to biodiesel have realized the benefits described above - and some they didn't even expect. When the town of Decatur, Illinois switched all its city buses and transit department transport vehicles to B2 in April of this year, officials expected added costs. Instead, mass transit chief Paul McChancy reported net savings due to reduced maintenance costs and increased fuel efficiency as the B2 blend burned cleaner than regular diesel and acted as a lubricant (Mike Frazier, Decatur Herald Review). ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] nonconventional journalism
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles.htmlA good article on the hazards of unleaded gas as well as much other.Kirk Do you Yahoo!? Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] breakthrough - store CH4 at 500psi instead of 3600
I would always assume that adsorption requires clean gas. Biogas is not methane. It has hydrogen sulphide and CO2 in abundance and would have to be cleaned. Natural gas probably too. Filtration is much easier these days. Perhaps our resident chemistry professor would care to make a comment.KirkZeke Yewdall [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: If it's like the hydride storage of hydrogen, you get it out of the "sponge" by heating it. And when you are putting it in, it released alot of heat (just as if you were compressing gas).I bet small contaminations (such as from biogass produced methane) would poison the sponge -- I know that the hydride storage tanks are pretty sensitive to that. Zeke On 7/18/06, Kurt Nolte [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Interesting indeed, but what I don't see is how densely the gas isthereafter stored. As in, for a say 10-gallon gas tank sized bundle ofthese briquettes, how much gasoline equivalent natural gas is beingstored? A gallon per gallon equivalent? Two? Three? How much does the whole assemblage, tank plus briquettes plus gas, weigh compared to atank of gas or ethanol? For that matter, how's the gas extracted if thecarbon pores "soak methane up like a sponge?"These are the questions whose answers interest me most. -Kurt___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.orghttp://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.orgBiofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ Do you Yahoo!? Next-gen email? Have it all with the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] New Zealand initiative
Gah.. Yet again they are confusing biodiesel and SVO.Interesting to hear the statement on engine warrantees --- quite different that what they typically say about even running B-100.Z On 7/16/06, Bob Molloy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi all, Here's the latest initiative on the biofuel front in New Zealand. Note the cost and the payback time for fleet owners. Prices are in NZ dollars, currently trading at 65 US cents. Regards, Bob. Put an olive in your tank Well not quite, but if David Renwick has his way it could be olive oil or even used cooking oil for that matter - once it has been refined into biodiesel.His conversion kit, which allows diesel engines to run on biodiesel offers considerably lower fuel costs and higher efficiency. He demonstrated both in Kerikeri this week with a late model SUV, modified to run on either standard diesel or biofuels, or a mix of the two. To illustrate his vehicle's versatility he urged his audience to pour a range of standardcookng oils into the tank while the engine was running. A test drive showed good acceleration, no smoke from the exhaust and an absence of diesel smell. Instead a slight fragrance of Mom's kitchen. .Renwick, Operations Director of Envirocar - a company he grew from a garage-based idea four years ago into a national organisation, is an enthusiastic exponent of the new wave of environmentally friendly fuels. He claims his fuel gives cleaner burning engines, lower emissions, efficiencies of 15% or more and costshalf that of standard diesel. Asked the hard questions as to cost, availability, payback time and risk to vehicle warranty Renwick was open and frank. Biofuel supplied by his organisation currently costs 69 cents a litre (against the present Kerikeri price of diesel at $1.26), the conversation kit (fitted by a trained technician) comes in at $4,000 and includes a 1,000 litre storage tank for your backyard. Payback time depended on mileage i.e. the further you travelled on an annual basis the faster you could amortise the cost of conversation. For one large diesel fleet in Wellington it was four months. Any diesel engine, even those used on farm machinery, could be converted to biofuel.By agreement with car makers the fuel was acceptable. Conversion was limited to the fuel lines only and did not affect engine warranties. As a backup, Envirocar-converted vehicles retained a separate tank for ordinary diesel. Envirocar is supported by Korean car maker SSangYong and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology which this year pumped in $93,000 to take the operation from backyard to production line. Interested biofuellers can contact Mr Renwick at [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___Biofuel mailing listBiofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever:http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.htmlSearch the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
Hello Manuel, I have an interest in such a system for my small farm. I think a 5kw genset with invertor should suffice but my concern is with noise and vibration. How do you handle this? I like the countryside for peace and quiet. Thanks, Tom From: manuel cilia [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]To: biofuel@sustainablelists.orgSent: Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:45:56 -0300Subject: Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?Dear Kevin,I do this for a living. My company is based in Australia and we supply off-the-homes with power. In outback Australia it can cost upwards of $150,000 to connect to the grid.snip___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] The truth about where to stand on global warming
Seems to me that if people were as advanced a society in good social behavior as we are with inventions And as far along with inventions as we are with good social behavior - we would be far better off. Jim Jason Katie wrote: just exactly what is black, white? negro, african american, that damn N-word, pastey, cracker, honkey... its all a waste, so why do people think in these terms? its demented. Jason ICQ#: 154998177 MSN: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Appal Energy [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 6:27 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] The truth about where to stand on global warming JJJN, I fully agree, but then I know some folks that will vote Republican to save the Guns - and they hate everything else about Republicans. Democrats aren't going to take anyone's guns away. Well, save for automatics, sawed-off shotguns and perhaps assault rifles. Any NRA-er who thinks otherwise isn't smart enough to be in possession of a gun permit, much less be allowed with 20 parsecs of a firearm. By the by..., you do know that in the deep south, veiled polite-speak (code) for Negro/African-American/Black is Democrat, don't you? When many speak of Democrats in a snotty nosed manner it's almost always got a racial teint to it. In some respects, even if they're looking a white person straight in the face and blaming the Democrats, they've actually got a lit fuse behind the mental curtain that's blaming blacks. All a bit sad. Some kind of inside, twisted, cliquish joke. You'd think adults would grow out of it. I guess not. I'm not sure I follow here, Would this be like the media driven advertisement sector financed by the corporate greed sector pushing people into the waste lifestyle? Or did I miss this one? More like the PR offices in the corporate greed sector manipulating and creating wants/needs where none previously existed. Media is just the delivery mechanism. Todd Swearingen JJJN wrote: Todd, Points all well taken, see below. Appal Energy wrote: I would tend to believe that if you're expressing your belief / faith on paper, you should be the one to polish the words. Well actually I am expressing a view point on Global Warming that targets a specific audience. The list has already given me several angles that I can explore and incorporate, such as yours. By myself only, you can see the example of the narrow perspective that I thought of beginning this thread. As for context, it's beyond me how those who are spiritually/religiously inclined fail to be the first on the environmental bandwagon. I fully agree, but then I know some folks that will vote Republican to save the Guns - and they hate everything else about Republicans. They only care about a single issue, while Bush sells of public lands where they would use the guns to hunt. STRANGE but true A) Seems a trifle arrogant and presumptuous to destroy what was given to us by a creator (presuming that's a person's belief system). B) There's a difference between having dominion and destroying / desecrating. Something tells me that if there is a God, he or she is capable of knowing the difference and basing judgment on those who exercise indiscretion. C) For those who believe in the sanctity of life, there is an incumbent mindset that must include all life, not just that or those within our personal sphere of influence, nationality, creed or belief system. This includes future generations - those who are yet to exist - whose lives are being maimed, mangled or outright prevented by contemporary decision making, inclusive of consumer choices and favorite programming mechanisms. (Why do you think they call it programming?) I'm not sure I follow here, Would this be like the media driven advertisement sector financed by the corporate greed sector pushing people into the waste lifestyle? Or did I miss this one? D) For those who believe in the principles spoken of by their preferred deity, which is the greater evil? To end a life at gunpoint or other immediate fashion in the pursuit of self-interest or to end a life or multiple lives by poisoning the waters, air or land beneath our feet in the pursuit of self-interest? It really is the big picture we so often miss, good point. But what the heck. What's a little autism, ashma, Minimata disease and leukemia amongst friends as long as we can fool ourselves into believing that we are civilized? Todd Swearingen Thanks Todd, all good points and well taken. Jim Michael wrote: Some comments added between *** and Very Respectfully, Michael @ Http://RecoveryByDiscovery.com - Original Message - From: JJJN [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: BIO Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2006 3:56 PM Subject: [Biofuel] The truth about where to stand
