erich Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Posted to the TP List; [Terrapreta] Char Manufacturing on an Industrial Scale Gerry Kutney to Terra Preta List Recently, there has been some recent discussions about the availability of “char” and the requisite biomass to produce it. I would like to introduce the members of the TP forum to Alterna Energy (clean + green - the alterna option - Alterna Energy). We are a “char” manufacturer but prefer the term “biocarbon; “ the term char implies a waste product, at least, to some. However, we have no desire to enter the naming debate that some members of the list have been involved in. As a famous man once said, “a (black) rose by any other name.” There have also been some reports of the char from the Dynamotive process. Their process produces pyrolysis oil, where char is a by-product and is more of a disposal issue for them than a product line. The char is also contaminated with the oil, which can make handling the product difficult. We are a biocarbon manufacturer, using a technology developed in South Africa, now owned by Alterna Energy. Our head office is in Prince George, BC, Canada. Alterna Energy has an industrial facility in South Africa and a demonstration plant in McBride, BC. Among the market sectors for biocarbon, terra preta is of prime interest. We are participating in full-scale TP field trials in Australia. In our opinion, we hope other members will get their governmental agricultural agencies to carry out further field trials. We are encouraging the same in BC and Canada. To take terra preta to the broader agricultural community, we believe such actions are necessary. If any members wish to discuss our operations and do not wish to burden the other members of the TP forum, they may contact me through the website above. Gerry Kutney Chief Operating Officer cid:[email protected] 250-649-2459 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfiniteNow Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Thank Thor that there are people like this on our planet. As always, thanks Erich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 The Carbon Char Group's new web site Check out the Carbon negitive bird seed video This group has the broadest experience working with chars in the soil.They have drawn talented people long associated with the biochar companies ( long that is in biochar years, 6years) Jon Nilsson ; Egen's soils assoiatate eGenesis Industries : HOME ,, worked with Eprida at one time, is the main man in CCG. "Charcoal bob" Hawkins ; works with Danny Day, he's on some of the CCG's research papersAlso Dr. Kriss Nichols; ARS glomalin researcher, doing carbon sequestration validation studies with Jon.Rebecca Ogelsby; works with Eprida An idea whose time has come | Carbon Char Group Erich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Here's my full list of Biochar Companies; Carbon DiversionCarbon Diversion Eprida: Sustainable Solutions for Global ConcernsEprida: Sustainable Solutions for Global Concerns BEST Pyrolysis, Inc. | Slow Pyrolysis - Biomass - Clean Energy - Renewable EneBEST Pyrolysis, Inc. | Slow Pyrolysis - Biomass - Clean Energy - Renewable Energy - Char - green coal - pelletized fuel - syngas for electrical generation - carbon credits - increases rural jobs and construction development Dynamotive Energy Systems | The Evolution of EnergyDynamotive Energy Systems | The Evolution of Energy Ensyn - Environmentally Friendly Energy and Chemicalshttp://www.ensyn.com/who/ensyn.htm Agri-Therm, developing bio oils from agricultural wasteAgri-Therm, developing bio oils from agricultural waste Advanced BioRefinery Inc.ABRI Technology Review: Turning Slash into CashTechnology Review 3R Environmental Technologies Ltd. (Edward Someus)WEB: TERRA HUMANA The company has Swedish origin and developing/designing medium and large scale carbonization units. The company is the licensor and technology provider to NviroClean Tech Ltd British American organization WEB: Nviro Cleantech – Investing in Clean Technologies and VERTUS Ltd.Welcome to Vertus Technologies Genesis Industries, licensee of Eprida technology, provides carbon-negative EPRIDA energy machines at the same cost as going direct to Eprida. Our technical support staff also provide information to obtain the best use of biochar produced by the machine. Recent research has shown that EPRIDA charcoal (biochar) increases plant productivity as it sequesters carbon in soil, thus reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.eGenesis Industries : HOME Australian Bio Chars Australian Biochars was incorporated by Paul Conyers and Jerome Matthews and has a number of associates within S.E. Asia many of whom were involved with the EU sponsored Cogen 3 project. Paul is a long-time business consultant whose imagination has been captured by the prospect of soil carbon both increasing crop yields and capturing greenhouse gasses while Jerome, after many years as a lawyer, became concerned about the pollution caused by agriwaste, particularly rice husk, of which more than 150 million tonnes is generated annually.Australian Bio Chars EcoCarbons ; About Us | Eco Carbons Pty Ltd Renewable Oil International® LLC (ROI) is a company dedicated to developing Advanced Fast Pyrolysis Biorefinery Technology to cost effectively fractionate wood and other types of biomass into high-value products.They will soon demonstrate their mobile unit in association with the National Biomass Producers Association.Renewable Oil International®, LLC Cheers,Erich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 I spoke with Jon Nilsson of the CarbonChar Group. "Biochar+" is available now only with orders of four pallets ( 4 tons ) 40 - 50# bags / pallet @ $50 per bag = $2000 / ton He said the 2008 trials at Virginia Tech showed a 46% increase in yield of tomato transplants grown with just 2 - 5 cups (2 - 5%) "Biochar+" per cubic foot of growing medium. An idea whose time has come | Carbon Char Group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahmabeliever Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 $50! Excuse me for sounding cheap but that price is outrageous. A by-product of a process sourcing waste as supply... Never would I pay that much for 'char'. Yes I only need 2-5% char to get results, I can make this from scraps off my shelter belts. I could almost buy a barrel of oil for that price. One thing the TP community need to sell this product is to show the affordability/viability of utilising farm wastes as a source of energy and soil ameliorant. This is just another method to drain the bank. Clean or not. My opinion, won't be the only gardener who sees that price and outright rejects it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 The CCG has a proprietary process for adsorption of compost tea into their biochar. They have three years of (Payed for) field testing at Virginia Tech which have shown significant yield increases with very low application rates; 20% in Corn with 20#/acre, 42% in tomatoes (with 2-5% in transplant growth medium) These yields more than justify the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahmabeliever Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 "These yields more than justify the price" To you maybe, not to me. Compost tea has NO storage life - NONE. Maybe 12 hours if you're feeling brave. So what are they selling, anaerobes? A proprietary process - hmm, a process that no one else has been able to accomplish, including many high profile lettered people who devote their entire facilities and resources to compost tea brewing.. I make compost tea for pennies - it will give a yield increase, in poor soil, a dramatic increase. Without the char. This compost tea is fresh, and thus aerobic. Pre ferting your char yes - pre amending with compost tea - oh come on, that's definately stretching the truth. EM would be a much better idea, it has some stability. Even if they can make compost tea that is stable in the char, which sounds like a sales pitch more than reality, Storage of such a product will be a nightmare. Yes, it's a green product, so? - we have to suffer financially to use recycled rubbish and come out looking clean (of cash). $50 for a bag of char. Ludicrous. Who's that going to help? Rich farmers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Again, CCG wont talk about there process, so I can't counter your concerns about stability / shelf-life etc. A product from Advanced and Experimental Microbiology(Applied & Experimental Microbiology - Welcome) that has a the turf and ag people inFlorida estatic. Two of those are photosynthetic bacteria, othersare from research into compost, etc.. It would be worthy of someonechecking as a reliable source alternative to making compost tea eachtime of uncertain strength. It has 50 billion organisms per quart,and a stable shelf life of 3 to 5 years. The effect of application in most cultures allows reducingfertilizer and water needed by about half. Some truck farmers in S.Florida and golf courses were able to cut fungicides even more. Testson peanuts for the big Moultrie GA. Ag Expo showed adding it gave anincrease of nearly half in yield over standard best practices. Applied & Experimental Microbiology - Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essay Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Again, CCG wont talk about there (their, ;)) process....Two of those are photosynthetic bacteria, others are from research into compost, etc.....reducing fertilizer and water needed by about half. Some truck farmers in S. Florida and golf courses were able to cut fungicides even more.... I'm amazed that they've done all this work and already figured this stuff out. From reading these threads here at Hypography, it's obvious that these enhancements and synergies are possible, but they seem to have already done a really good job. Still, $50.00 does seem a bit high.They should be subsidized by the government because of how much benefit this provides to the environment.... ~ :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahmabeliever Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Sorry Erich, my last reply was of a bad tone. Not aimed at you, but also not neccessary. You can probably tell I'm not a capitalist hehe. The innoculum sounds good. The claim of being the only people marketing photosynthetic bacteria is not true though, which makes me wonder at the accuracy of the rest of the claims. Purple non sulfur photosynthetic bacteria are a part of em cultures. Cyanobacteria are not new either - also photosynthetic. I think this product is another em variant - symbiotic communities of microorganisms, the whole being greater than the sum of parts. Making it that stable - that is new, and good news. Googling EM and Dr Higa will keep you entertained for hours. He gave most of his information about making EM away so we could all benefit from this technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted November 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 GOOD NEWS FOR BIOCHAR: EU permit Authority 4 years tests successfully completed Doses: 400 kg / ha – 1000 kg / ha at different horticultural cultivars Plant heightIncrease 141 % versus controlPicking yieldIncrease 630 % versus controlPicking fruitIncrease 650 % versus controlTotal yieldIncrease 202 % versus controlTotal piece of fruit Increase 171 % versus controlFruit weightIncrease 118 % versus control There is list of the additional beneficial effects of the 3R FORMULATED BIOCHAREU DOSSIER for permit administration and summary of the results from 4 different Authorities who executed different test programme is under construction Sincerely yours: Edward Someus (environmental engineer)3R AGROCARBON2/23 R E n v i ro n m e n t a l Te c h n o l o g i e s L t d .H-1222 Budapest, Szechenyi str. 59. Hungary Tel.: (36-20) 201 7557 Tel./Fax: (36-1) 424 0224E-mails:[email protected]@terrenum.net - . SKYPE: Edward.SomeusWEB:3R AGROCARBONWEB:TERRA HUMANA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erich Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Hi All, Here is an additional post from Edward Someus: "I suggest these independent and accredited EU relevant Authority permit field tests results will support the further development of the biochar application systems on international level, and providing case evidence, that properly made and formulated (plant and/or animal biomass based) biochars can meet the modern environmental - agricultural - human health inspection standards and norm, while supporting the knowledge based economical development. We work further on to expand not only in the EU but in the USA as well. My Cincinnati large scale carbonization project is progressing, hopefully the first industrial scale 3R clean coal - carbon plant will be ready in 2009. Tks. Sincerely yours: Edward Someus (environmental engineer)HOMEPAGE 3R AGROCARBON: 3R AGROCARBON TERRA HUMANA EMAIL 1: [email protected]EMAIL 2: [email protected]3R Environmental Technologies Ltd. ADDRESS: H-1222 Budapest, Szechenyi 59, HungaryTEL handy: +(36-20) 201 7557TEL / FAX: +(36-1) 424 0224TEL SKYPE phone via computer: Edward Someus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cascadiamax Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 Field tests in Oregon with effective microbes (EM) from SCD and EM America on strawberries, beans and zucchini showed no noticeable difference than the controls. It was not a scientific trial, but enough to expect little gains with biochar. EM reportedly does better with wastewater treatment, as a probiotic for livestock and as a compost conditioner. Charcoal mixed with chicken manure does best. Cogentech Inc. in Wilsonville, Oregon (USA) advocated a Bioten system. A form of direct fired wood burning gas turbine. There is a rumor over here they are looking at biochar production of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cascadiamax Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 There is also GreenPyro, north of San Francisco. They claim to be a developer of an advanced pyrolysis furnace. Full scale operation is about a year away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cascadiamax Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 The plant at Aarstiderne is a good example of biochar integration with a farm operation. It is not clear if the plant is from a commercial venture. The stirling engine is not ready for export yet. I cannot post links yet, so search for the dot com. A description of the farm and pyrolizer can be found on the OM AARSTIDERNE link, under Ide og baggrund. It may require Google for translation as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahmabeliever Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 A man here has plants running, a contract to do firebreaks in the states, he's started production of 300 x 30t a day plants, pyrolisis that is, and has a lot of forestry contracts. Wood waste to char and collecting the gas. We meet soon he's giving me a few bags for my garden and we'll talk turkey about the use of char as a soil amendment locally. I hope to introduce the concept of using char and fungi on all riparian areas in local forestry as a means of pollution (runoff and erosion) control. Then next year as part of my biology paper I'll have access to an organic farm to commence char trials for local horticulture. Also have access to the brains of the university faculty, should be fun. I'm also very interested in chars role in re-forestation. Naturally fires bring forests down, not chainsaws... I've had amazing results with em, you can't do much with it if it is combating the effects of salt fertilisers all it's 'energy' goes into correcting balance instead of promoting decomposition and soil activity (by product better plants). I'll run a 'proper' trial with EM/char in an organic environment and see how it goes... I'll also be advising to keep the price of this char down from daylight robbery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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