[Stoves] Fwd: More on the Alternatives to Charcoal.

Tue Apr 16 19:52:41 CDT 2013

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Olivier <paul.olivier at esrla.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 6:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Stoves] More on the Alternatives to Charcoal.
To: Corey Berman <coreymberman at gmail.com>

See comments below.

On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 2:10 AM, Corey Berman <coreymberman at gmail.com>wrote:

> Paul,
>
> Hello, fellow stover here. I have some questions on a few things you've
> proposed to the Stoves lists:
>
> "Once farmers understand, through this research, that they can double or
> even triple their harvests through the addition of biochar"
>
> Can you provide references to cases where yields have been doubled or
> tripled by application of biochar?
>

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Biochar/Agronomy_Carter%20et%20al%202013%2002%2017.pdf
http://www.lrrd.org/public-lrrd/proofs/lrrd2501/chha25008.htm
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd23/2/siso23032.htm
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/2/siso24026.htm
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/2/siso24039.htm
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/2/siso24034.htm
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Biochar/Biochar%20utilization%20in%20Rice%20crop%20on%20Tuk%20Vil%20Luvisol.pdf
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/11/leng24199.htm

At least 20 studies were done with rice hull biochar from my gasifiers, and
all studies showed large increases in plant growth.

> It is my understanding that biochar may improve very poor soil, but has
> less improvement in already rich soil.
>

Yes, if soils are rich and are not degraded through the use of chemical
fertilizers, biochar will not make a difference. But where in Vietnam, for
example, do we find rich soils? Almost all soils are heavily abused and
degraded.

> Therefore it is not so much biochar specifically, but rather any
> improvement to the soil that these farmers need.
>

If you really want to understand the benefits of biochar, please read:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Biochar/Johannes%20Lehmann%2C%20Stephen%20Joseph-Biochar%20for%20environmental%20management_%20science%20and%20technology.pdf

> Increased SOM, water capacity, CEC, ect. Farmers may see just as much
> improvement by applying more mulch, burying wood (as in hugelkultur), or
> terracing on contour with logs, and these methods do not require any
> machinery.
>

You are right: the addition of biochar is not the only way to improve soil
conditions. I strongly advocate that biochar, compost containing humus, and
vermi-compost be added to the soil. They all have something unique to
contribute.
Please see:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Paper/Presentations/Sustainable%20Agriculture.ppsx

> If they are following practices that remove soil organic matter such as
> removing all residue or slash-and-burn, it would be better to amend those
> improper practices instead of continuing them while trying to apply biochar
> as a solution.
>

I do not advocate that farmers continue to abuse the soil, while adding
biochar to make amends for such abuse.

> "each rice farmer might have his own pellet machine"
>
> Running a pellet machine is not a casual hobby.
>

In Vietnam rice hull pellets can be produced for less than $20 US per ton
in electricity. Rice hull pellets sell for about $75 US per ton.
There is money to be made here, and many rice farmers in Vietnam will jump
at the opportunity. Can Vietnamese rice farmers master a pellet machine?
Many of them could. But you are right: we might have to move up to the
level of the rice mill. Even the small rice mill could master the art of
running a pellet machine.

Please see:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22013094/Paper/Presentations/Gasification.ppsx

> They require frequent maintenance on the die and rollers, and careful
> process control of the temperature, moisture and particle size of feedstock
> material as well as monitoring temperature and pressure in the pelletizer.
>

The rice hulls coming out of a mill do not have to prepared in order to be
pelleted.Here grain size and moisture content are ideal for pelleting.

> Poor quality pellets will just fall apart back into dust. You need to be,
> or work closely with, a steel fabricator for service work. It is a full
> time business just to run the pelletizing operation and ensure high
> quality, I don't think "each rice farmer" would be up to this task. Also
> with logistics it makes more sense to have 1 local pelletizing operation
> doing maybe 1-2 ton/hr and handling the residue of many farmers
>
>
The effort of running the operation is not worth it if you're producing
> only a few hundred pounds per hour. There are realities from the global
> commodities market, coal is about $80/ton, pellets can be $100 to $200 per
> ton.
>

Rice hull pellets sell in Saigon for about $75 US per ton.

> And they'll need to be making a return on their pelletizer investment
> which could be anywhere from $10k to $40k depending on capacity and quality.
>

Small rice hull pelleting machines sell in Vietnam for about $2,000. They
do not have to be big in order to be profitable.

>
> I just want to make sure we aren't over-selling some aspects of biochar or
> pellets and misleading people.
>

Thanks so much for your comments.

Paul Olivier

>
> Thanks,
> Corey Berman
> Mechanical Engineer, Chip Energy
> UIUC 2012
>

-- 
Paul A. Olivier PhD
26/5 Phu Dong Thien Vuong
Dalat
Vietnam

Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Mobile: 090-694-1573 (in Vietnam)
Skype address: Xpolivier
http://www.esrla.com/

-- 
Paul A. Olivier PhD
26/5 Phu Dong Thien Vuong
Dalat
Vietnam

Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Mobile: 090-694-1573 (in Vietnam)
Skype address: Xpolivier
http://www.esrla.com/
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