[Stoves] Methane from char-makers

[Julien Winter]

Hi All;

I am glad to see the Stoves - archives is up and running.  I was having
trouble keeping track of the conversations my email updates.

To respond to Kirk's question about the kind of ND-TLUD that was used
to measure methane:  The paper that Hans-Peter attached on the Yahoo
Biochar list was about CH4 emissions from flame-cap kilns

Cornelissen G, Pandit NR, Taylor P, Pandit BH, Sparrevik M, Schmidt HP
(2016) Emissions and Char Quality of Flame-Curtain "Kon Tiki" Kilns for
Farmer-Scale Charcoal/Biochar Production. PLoS ONE 11(5): e0154617.
doi:10.1371/journal.
pone.0154617

This paper cited the following as an example of CH4 emissions from TLUDs

MacCarty, N; Ogle, D; Still, D; Bond, T; Roden, C.   2008 . A laboratory
comparison of the global warming impact of five major types of biomass
cooking stoves.    Energy for Sustainable Development 7(2): 5–14.

In this paper Nortica and her pals show that CH4 emissions from a Philips
FD-TLUD are low, but CH4 emissions from Karve ND-TLUD were about 2/3 that
of a three stone fire.  The photo of the Karve gasifier looks to me as a
lower Tier-3 stove at best.

It would seem that this whole discussion about CH4 emissions from "all"
ND-TLUD stoves is based on this one observation from 2008!   One
observation is sufficient to say that at least one ND-TLUD emits CH4 under
certain conditions, but we certainly have no grounds to argue that all
ND-TLUDs are like that.  That would be like saying "I saw one white swan,
therefore all swans are white".  (The late Sir Karl Popper, philosopher of
science, is rolling over in his grave).

So, Kirk, you are right to ask, "what about modern ND-TLUDs?"

The general problem is that there still is not anywhere near enough
scientific research on ND-TLUDs.

A big problem can arise if inaccurate conclusions get incorporated into
rules for assessing carbon credits, and become taken as factual.  That
could do a heck of a lot of damage to the public perception of ND-TLUDs and
deny poor people who cook with biomass one of their better options.

Cheers,
Julien.



-- 
Julien Winter
Cobourg, ON, CANADA
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