Comments for Grass Energy in the Northeast

Comment on Results and Impressions on Burning Grass Pellets by Tim McMahon

Tim McMahon — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:21:07 +0000

We here at the Agricultural Watershed Institute have been very involved with manufacturers to test burn grasses in several differant forms. I will list some of our findings.

Harman has not and they are not planning on testing grass pellets. However, we have a cooperator with a Harman pellet stove that has been burning grass pellets for two years with great success.

Central Boiler’s pellet boilers have a very hard time burning the grass pellet successfully. We have a local dealer that is testing small square bales of switch grass in his 7260 Classic Stove. I will post the findings as I recieve them. None of Central Boilers units have a satifactory ash system.

The Log Boiler test burnt some small square bales of switch grass for us with success.

If interested you can reach me at 217.877.5640

Comment on Vermont Grass Energy Report by Netaka White

Netaka White — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:12:27 +0000

Yikes, not my week for blogging. I meant to say “2-ton PER HOUR mobile briquetter” above.

cheers,
NWhite

Comment on Vermont Grass Energy Report by Netaka White

Netaka White — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:44:28 +0000

I “penned” a reply to Larry Johnson (above) the other day. But alas, the computer must have eaten it, It did not show up in the blog, so I was “testing” to see if functionality had returned. And it has.

…Dear Larry
RER is making good progress on their new 2-ton/day mobile briquetter. They are on schedule and they have a completion date targeted for the end of March (VSJF funding is typically for two-year projects). You’re right, the model they demonstrated at VTC in September was a BHS Slugger that they modified. They are now fabricating a larger system that incorporates some of the features of the Slugger with new elements that will substantially increase the production capacity. As to when you could see it in operation, why don’t you connect with John Bootle, or contact me offline if you’re not sure how to reach him.

regards,
NWhite

Comment on Vermont Grass Energy Report by Grass energy

Grass energy — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:04:43 +0000

What are you testing Netaka?

Comment on Vermont Grass Energy Report by Netaka White

Netaka White — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 19:07:37 +0000

Testing
(from NW)

Comment on Vermont Grass Energy Report by Larry Johnson

Larry Johnson — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:52:53 +0000

Nataka,

Can you offer a time as to when we will see the mobile briquetter that RER has developed. We had hoped to see it at the Grass Energy Seminar held at VTC this past summer. Instead we saw a piece of equipment presently being built by BHS Energy, LLC, a firm located in Pennsylvania. That equipment is being marketed as “The Slugger”. RER received their development grant from VSJF over a year ago. Were there performance criteria written into the grant and are they being met?

Mr. Bootle’s post seems to indicate that equipment has been built and tested.

Larry

Comment on Getting to Affordable/Easy/Clean by Elizabeth Keokosky

Elizabeth Keokosky — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:23:33 +0000

Hi Clayton, The Danby Land Bank Cooperative and Community Biomass Energy in the Tompkins County area are researching a business plan. Cleaner, Greener Regional economic organizations are looking for promising bioenergy initiatives. See our draft executive summary at http://www.danbylandbank.com/LandBankCooperative/resources_files/CBE%20Executive%20Summary.pdf . It is a bit of a jaunt for a pelletizer to Essex. I wonder if there are some things going on in Vermont closer to you. Betsy

Comment on Getting to Affordable/Easy/Clean by Clayton Wrisley

Clayton Wrisley — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 02:13:01 +0000

Been kind of quiet lately…I would just like to add an observation. I like that we have identified these areas:
- pre-processing and densification techniques,

- identification of robust heating equipment that can handle the material available now,

- standardization of the material,

- crop yields,

- understanding and controlling emissions

but I am finding the biggest hurdle is financing to get started. The chicken/egg scenario is that in order to get capital funding, you need a business plan, the plan needs to include an outlet for the product. How can this group band together to identify customers of grass pellets?

does anybody have a pellet mill I can borrow? Can the mobile pellitizer make it’s way up to Essex, NY?
This past February, we were able to harvest 200 round bales due to the mild winter, I have a bale shredder, mixer grinder, and a PC-45 and Central Boiler, and look forward to advancing on farm thermal heating with biomass.

How can I help, or get help from this community.

Thanks,
Clayton

Comment on Broome Biomass by Richard Rodriguez

Richard Rodriguez — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 13:02:15 +0000

There are many potential biomass grass products available. Which is the most hardy to climates and infestations with the least emmissions upon burning is the dilema to each. In my research of various grasses such as micanthus, giant king grass, elephant grasses and napier each has its strength from harvest per year to annual or perennial plantings. I have found the US climate suitable for some and the Asian climate suitable for others. Many questions such as emissions still remain outstanding but without subsidies especially here in the US biomass will still be a political chip played by many for self interests. Wood as a fuel source is finite! Just my opinion!

Comment on Hudson Valley Grass Energy Update by DanS.

DanS. — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:27:03 +0000

Hey Kevin,

how much does the Project Mgr. job pay? I’ll get you road worthy and DOT passed. email me.

Dan Seidel.