Biofuel symposium offers energy alternatives
Reader Comments
| March 3, 2008 |  View for printing |
More than 100 people gathered at the Hamilton Fairgrounds Saturday morning to learn all aspects of the biofuel industry.
Focused on advocating the use of biomass from large-scale national forest thinning, the day was sponsored by the Big Sky Coalition.
Co-hosted by the Bitterroot National Forest and the Ravalli County Commissioners, the symposium offered a range of information regarding current and future biomass production and the potential of turning wood waste into ethanol and methanol for electricity and heat.
by JENNY HARRIS - Ravalli Republic
Full Story: http://www.ravallirepublic.com/artic ... /news02.txt
Reader Comments:
|
There is no question that in recent years energy costs have skyrocketed. And the price of burning fossil fuels is more than just financial: environmentalists the world over continually warn about the dangers of using non-renewable energy sources that pollute the environment when burned, global warming being just one of the major topics frequently discussed. Energy consumers have been looking for new ways to heat their homes that are easily renewed, will not pollute the environment, and will save them money. Enter stove corn, a new source of heat energy that involves burning shelled corn in specially-designed furnaces. The most important thing to remember when using this alternative fuel is that its moisture content needs to be kept extremely low. The highest recommended percentage is no more than 15.5%, although in most cases a moisture content of 10-12% is ideal. Prolonged exposure to moisture will result in the growth of mildew and mold, leading to spoilage. It can cause the corn to clump together, making it difficult to feed into the combustion chamber of the stove. In addition, burning moldy corn could aggravate respiratory problems in individuals with allergies or asthma. The use of woven polypropylene bags protects contents from exposure to moisture, because the bags actually consist of thousands of strands of plastic woven together to form a fabric-like sheet that is very strong, extremely durable, and readily resistant to water. Harry Bradman http://www.abc-packaging.com --Harry Bradman
|
|
There is no question that in recent years energy costs have skyrocketed. And the price of burning fossil fuels is more than just financial: environmentalists the world over continually warn about the dangers of using non-renewable energy sources that pollute the environment when burned, global warming being just one of the major topics frequently discussed. Energy consumers have been looking for new ways to heat their homes that are easily renewed, will not pollute the environment, and will save them money. Enter stove corn, a new source of heat energy that involves burning shelled corn in specially-designed furnaces. The most important thing to remember when using this alternative fuel is that its moisture content needs to be kept extremely low. The highest recommended percentage is no more than 15.5%, although in most cases a moisture content of 10-12% is ideal. Prolonged exposure to moisture will result in the growth of mildew and mold, leading to spoilage. It can cause the corn to clump together, making it difficult to feed into the combustion chamber of the stove. In addition, burning moldy corn could aggravate respiratory problems in individuals with allergies or asthma. The use of woven polypropylene bags protects contents from exposure to moisture, because the bags actually consist of thousands of strands of plastic woven together to form a fabric-like sheet that is very strong, extremely durable, and readily resistant to water. Harry Bradman http://www.abc-packaging.com --Harry Bradman
|
Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law. Full copyright retained by the original publication. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
