[Gasification] (Reminder) Gasification Workshop Weekend Aug 9-11: APL 5th Anniversary Celebration, AR training, Reports from the field

Thu Aug 8 14:26:34 CDT 2013

For the last minute planners out there, a reminder that our big 5th
anniversary workshop weekend starts tomorrow (Friday) and continues
through Sunday.   There are still spots available so RSVP below if
you'd like to join us.  Also. just dropping by for just one day or eve
is fine and encouraged.

Those wanting to have longer commercial venture discussions might want
to stay into Monday or Tuesday.  Jim, Dusty and Tom are dedicating
much of their time over the weekend to these one on one meetings,
however we still find these discussions tend to continue into the
following week.  This is fine and encouraged.

In short, we are flexible.  We hope you will join us in some manner
that works for you.

The program for the weekend is copied again below.  Or here on our website:
http://www.gekgasifier.com/news/geknews-gasification-workshop-weekend-aug-9-11-apl-5th-anniversary-celebration-ar-training-reports-from-the-field.html

Jim

Gasification PowerExchange Workshop #13:  August 9-11, 2013
Gasification Workshop Weekend:  APL 5th Anniversary Celebration, AR
training, Reports from the field.

Gasification Lecture and Demo: Friday, 4:00-6:00PM
APL 5th Birthday Party: Friday, 7:00-10:00pm
Hands-on programs: Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Authorized Representative info seminar and dinner:  Saturday night, 7pm

Workshop Cost: Free for GEK or Power Pallet owners, otherwise $150 for
Newbies.  AR dinner not included.
RSVP and/or pay here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6812136283
Location: ALL Power Labs, 1010 Murray Street. Berkeley, CA
Additional Info for sign up, travel and accommodations at end of email.

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General Program

Our 5th Anniversary Gasification Workshop Weekend is coming up in a
little over two weeks from now.  We hope you will join us for more of
the usual learning and fun, as well as some interesting new work we'll
be revealing at the event.

The workshop this round will focus on the three major areas of APL
effort for 2013:

1. New features now shipping with the Power Pallet
2. Reports from the field: Liberia, Nigeria, Kenya, Italy, Indonesia, and ???
3. Authorized Representative info and training

The workshop will offer general demos and instruction in GEK and Power
Pallet systems, as well as the usual deep tour down the rabbit hole of
biomass thermal conversion science.  We'll orchestrate our standard
multi-track teaching program, but with the tracks this round focussed
on the details of supporting commercial Power Pallet installations in
the field.  All topics and projects offered will also be of high
relevance for DIYers, researchers, and home power enthusiasts.  We'll
also continue our user group "by type" breakout sessions to help you
find others doing (or wanting to do) similar to you, whatever your
interests may be across the black arts.

We'll have a special treat this time with two visiting students from
Liberia.  These are the star students from a biomass-to-electricity
program recently started at Booker Washington Institute in Liberia by
EcoPower Liberia.  Jim and Bill visited for two weeks in July and were
floored by how well the minutia of Power Pallet operation are being
taught and transferred.  The program is the most elaborated Power
Pallet  training program to date, so we decided we should fly the best
students over for two weeks of additional learning at the factory.
Willis and Howard will be the ones with the wide eyes, as this will be
their first trip outside of Liberia.  (The next GEKnews will be a
report on the Liberia program, as well as other recent APL trips to
Nigeria and Kenya).

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Schedule for the Weekend

Friday Afternoon and Evening- 3:00-10:00pm

Check-in from 3:00 - 4:00
Gasification 101 Lecture: 4:00-6:00pm.  by Jim Mason, Founder and CEO
of ALL Power Labs
APL 5th Anniversary Birthday Party: 7:00-10:00pm (Powered by Power Pallet)
    - Music, Food & Beverages
    - Recognition Award to APL by the City of Berkeley
    - Machine Demos

The workshop begins with an evening talk by APL Founder and CEO, Jim
Mason, on the science of gasification and a survey of its engineering
history.  Biomass thermal conversion is explored from the most simple
introduction, to a highly technical consideration of the variable
dynamics of our 4 core processes: Drying, Pyrolysis, Combustion and
Reduction.  A variety of reactor types are explained and critiqued,
and the particular motivations of the GEK TOTTI architecture are
illuminated.

The Friday afternoon program is the "Gasification 101" course of the
weekend.  It is the foundation for the rest of the weekend and should
not be missed.  AR candidates in particular need to make sure they are
here for this intro talk or the rest of the weekend training will be
compromised.

Following the lecture, we'll retire to the yard for the APL 5th
Anniversary party.  Many things of interest will happen, but we're
still figuring out what those will be.  More info later.

Saturday and Sunday:  10am-7pm

APL Product Development and Project Reports from the Field
Hands-on Projects and AR Operational Training

9:30 Bagels and coffee.
10:00 start time each day

Saturday and Sunday are full days of Power Pallet explanation and
hands-on instruction.  We'll explore common issues of concern for
creating biomass-to-electricity projects, and hear reports from those
who are actually doing it in the field.  Each day has a morning sit
down informational session, with the afternoon devoted to hands-on
wrench turning on relevant machinery.

One weekend is not enough to offer a full technical certification
program.  However, we attempt as dense and complete orientation as
possible.  You should expect to come away with a good core
understanding of the machine, and be able to properly represent it to
others.  If you arrive technically inclined and fast learning, you
will likely leave with enough understanding to provide basic support
to new users in the field.

For a general introduction to our programs during weekend, here's a
video touring the show from fall 2012.

http://youtu.be/1-cFByJRtro

Saturday morning

State of the Power Pallet: past, present and future

We're starting a new workshop feature of presenting the details of
Power Pallet development: past, current and future.  This is intended
to help potential users better assess the current state of the
product, and know the product development pathway going forward.
Telling you the future "now" is important as we find many want to do
demonstration and pilot projects as soon as possible, but equally want
to know when x, y or z feature will be available that is critical to
the later deployment stage of their project.  Thus we do the unusual
and tell everyone what add-ons are coming around the corner.

New Features update:  Changes and improvements now shipping with the
Power Pallet
Grid tie technical details and demonstration
CHP add-on system
Biochar and the Power Pallet

Saturday Afternoon

Hands-on Learning for ARs and others

GEK and Power Pallet assembly, disassembly and maintenance

Power Pallet start up, run modes and trouble shooting

Sunday morning

Reports from the field

We have multiple pilot projects underway to prove the details for
large-scale deployments.  To make things more interesting, we've
decided to do all these in parallel, across highly diverse use
situations, from Liberia and Indonesia, and Italy to Alaska.  We have
learned that things are very different in different places . . .
Still, intense learning is passing between project sites and
accelerating the refinement of particulars across the Power Pallet.
We'll explore what we've learned in a variety of reports from the
field.

APL African tour in July and early August: Liberia, Nigeria, and Kenya
Results from Italian CE certification and emissions, efficiency and
sound regulations
How to finance your APL gasifier: a presentation from the US Export-Import bank
ROI models for Power Pallet bassed biomass-to-electricity projects

Sunday Afternoon

Hands-on Learning for ARs and others

Gasifier fuel types and preparation methods

Power Pallet electronic control and self-diagnostic codes.

Offsite Authorized Representative dinner meeting: Saturday eve, 7pm

This is a special offsite dinner meeting for Authorized Representative
candidates. The dinner will include a discussion about the program and
networking opportunities among AR candidates.  Who should attend this
meeting?  Current AR candidates or those interested in learning about
the program in consideration of becoming an Authorized Representative.

Separate tickets are necessary for this event and the $75 fee includes dinner.

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6812136283

General info on the Authorized Representative program is here:
http://gekgasifier.com/2012/07/announcing-the-apl-authorized-representative-program/

General Info and Signup

If you want to join us in any capacity, you need to RSVP (and
potentially pay) before the event.  You can do so via credit card
here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6812136283 or to sales at allpowerlabs.org.

Information on local accommodation, maps and airports is here:
http://www.gekgasifier.com/info/openhouse_workshops There is some
camping space available onsite, but it seems to be getting more packed
with each workshop.  Tell us soon if you need sleeping bag space.

If you're coming from overseas, or an institution that requires an
invite, we'll help with visa letters and other travel support as we
can.

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