Welcome to our page to track progress on the way to affordable, easy and clean Ag Biomass Heat. As progress is made in each of the key areas (identified at the Seminar and listed below), it will be reported on this page by volunteers interested in supporting the commercialization of Ag Biomass Heat in the Northeast.
- 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
Please send us your progress report on one of the key areas, by submitting a comment (at the bottom of this page) identifying the key area, a description of the progress and supporting links.
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This page also serves as the resource page for the Ag Biomass Heat Seminar.
Presentations
Keynote Address — Developing Grass and Ag Biomass as a Viable Heating Fuel for the Northeast
- Christopher Wright, Ph.D.; US Department of Energy, Idaho National Laboratory
Agronomic and Harvest Influences on Biomass Production and Feedstock Quality
- Paul Salon; USDA-NRCS Big Flats Plant Materials Center, NY
- Dr. Jerry Cherney; Cornell University, NY
Processing Agricultural Biomass
- Bob Miller; Enviro Energy, LLC., NY
- Dan Arnett; Ernst Biomass, PA
- Kevin Sumner & John Brown; Hudson Valley Grass Energy, NY
Burning Grass Pellets the Right Way
- Gerry Ruestow; Catskill Grass Energy Project, NY
- Mike Newtown; SUNY Canton, NY
- Dr. Jerry Cherney; Cornell University, NY
Production Economics: Evaluating Ways That Agricultural Biomass Can Compete As A Heating Fuel
- John Bootle; Renewable Energy Resources, VT
- Dr. Timothy Volk; SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, NY
arbnybea
broomebiomassllc
dconable
Grass energy
Delaware CCE Gerry
HVGE
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Jon Montan
kevinsumner
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netaka white
tonynekut
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
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