Comments on: Catch a (micro)wave http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=catch-a-microwave Global warming and the future of New Zealand Tue, 22 May 2012 10:35:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: greenpower http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-22273 greenpower Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:15:17 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-22273 “The Biochar Revolution” with “The Biochar Solution” http://biochar-books.com/ The Biochar Revolution collects the results and best practical advice that these entrepreneurs have to offer to the biochar community. When practice and theory advance to the point where they meet in the middle, then we will truly see a biochar revolution. “The Biochar Revolution” with “The Biochar Solution”
http://biochar-books.com/
The Biochar Revolution collects the results and best practical advice that these entrepreneurs have to offer to the biochar community. When practice and theory advance to the point where they meet in the middle, then we will truly see a biochar revolution.

]]> By: Gareth http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2756 Gareth Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:56:38 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2756 Thanks Sonny. Don't worry about long links, I use a Wordpress plug-in called WP-Chunks that automatically shortens them. I've already discussed the use of biochar in my truffiere with one of Carbonscape's directors.... Happy to give it a go! [Give us a ring when you get to NZ. Happy to buy you a coffee at Jo Seagar's....] Thanks Sonny. Don’t worry about long links, I use a WordPress plug-in called WP-Chunks that automatically shortens them.

I’ve already discussed the use of biochar in my truffiere with one of Carbonscape’s directors…. Happy to give it a go!

[Give us a ring when you get to NZ. Happy to buy you a coffee at Jo Seagar's....]

]]> By: Sonny http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2752 Sonny Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:15:15 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2752 Couple of papers on this may be of interest to some. Best Energies submitted a paper on pyrolysis and agrichar to the Garnaut Report. Some interesting reading and industry references: http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/pages/submissions#1 Scroll down to BEST and download the PDF. (I would have given a direct link but it's heinously long). There's also a good paper by Leihman, J. in Nature 447, 10 May 2007, pp143-144. I'm quite intrigued by the possibilities. It looks like a win-win across multiple platforms and Australian soils could take several billion tons of it over a long period, so storage should not be a problem for a very long time. My only (pessimistic) thought was that if it ever takes off as a cash cow for carbon credits, it's conceivable that we'll see old growth forests bulldozed and planted with fast growing crops that produce 'sustainable' CO2 capturing agrichar/biochar. If that sounds ridiculous, I agree, but does the word 'ethanol' ring a bell? Personally, having today received the keys to my brand spanking new home in NZ, I'd like to know how to get my hands on a container load. I'll also happily volunteer an acre or so field test it. Gareth, given the yield of test crops such as corn, would you try it around a couple of low- or marginal-yield vines (assuming you have any)? Sonny Couple of papers on this may be of interest to some. Best Energies submitted a paper on pyrolysis and agrichar to the Garnaut Report. Some interesting reading and industry references:
http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/pages/submissions#1

Scroll down to BEST and download the PDF. (I would have given a direct link but it’s heinously long).

There’s also a good paper by Leihman, J. in Nature 447, 10 May 2007, pp143-144.

I’m quite intrigued by the possibilities. It looks like a win-win across multiple platforms and Australian soils could take several billion tons of it over a long period, so storage should not be a problem for a very long time.
My only (pessimistic) thought was that if it ever takes off as a cash cow for carbon credits, it’s conceivable that we’ll see old growth forests bulldozed and planted with fast growing crops that produce ‘sustainable’ CO2 capturing agrichar/biochar.
If that sounds ridiculous, I agree, but does the word ‘ethanol’ ring a bell?

Personally, having today received the keys to my brand spanking new home in NZ, I’d like to know how to get my hands on a container load. I’ll also happily volunteer an acre or so field test it.

Gareth, given the yield of test crops such as corn, would you try it around a couple of low- or marginal-yield vines (assuming you have any)?

Sonny

]]> By: cindy http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2737 cindy Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:15:37 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2737 ah yes, the old, unproven CCS, the coal industry's excuse to build loads of new coal-fired power stations. Despite the hype, it's still 20 years or so off and would still be enormously expensive. Then there's the liability - what if it leaks out? Who pays (apart from the environment)? CCS is being relied on far too much as the answer to all of our problems... It may be needed one day, but it seems like not producing C02 in the first place is a good place to start, not using CCS as an excuse to continue doing it. hmmm - Who Pays and Liability seem to be my Theme for Today. ah yes, the old, unproven CCS, the coal industry’s excuse to build loads of new coal-fired power stations. Despite the hype, it’s still 20 years or so off and would still be enormously expensive. Then there’s the liability – what if it leaks out? Who pays (apart from the environment)?

CCS is being relied on far too much as the answer to all of our problems… It may be needed one day, but it seems like not producing C02 in the first place is a good place to start, not using CCS as an excuse to continue doing it.

hmmm – Who Pays and Liability seem to be my Theme for Today.

]]> By: Gareth http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2733 Gareth Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:25:03 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2733 Judy: yes, the idea is that the charcoal from Carbonscape's process would be added to soil, taking the carbon out of the system that way. There's still a lot of work to be done on how stable that might be in different soils/climates, but it looks good. Judy: yes, the idea is that the charcoal from Carbonscape’s process would be added to soil, taking the carbon out of the system that way. There’s still a lot of work to be done on how stable that might be in different soils/climates, but it looks good.

]]> By: jonno http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2731 jonno Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:08:56 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2731 Although, something you have to take into account is that when you dig up soil, you release loads of CO2 into the atmos, is the amount of CO2 in the charcoal you are burying more than the amount that is released by digging soil? Although, something you have to take into account is that when you dig up soil, you release loads of CO2 into the atmos, is the amount of CO2 in the charcoal you are burying more than the amount that is released by digging soil?

]]> By: Judy M http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2730 Judy M Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:52 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2730 Sorry, but isn't the point of this char method that the CO2 is stored as part of the charcoal, in solid, not gas or liquid form, and therefore more stable? In other words you shove it underground in the soil, not mines, etc. My uniformed opinion is that they should combine the char with municipal compost production so it can be applied on top without CO2 depleting soil disturbance. Sorry, but isn’t the point of this char method that the CO2 is stored as part of the charcoal, in solid, not gas or liquid form, and therefore more stable? In other words you shove it underground in the soil, not mines, etc.

My uniformed opinion is that they should combine the char with municipal compost production so it can be applied on top without CO2 depleting soil disturbance.

]]> By: Gareth http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2729 Gareth Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:47:37 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2729 Fiddler: comes from Carbonscape. No idea of provenance, but it seems to refer to waste from forestry, yes. Cindy: the general idea is to shove it underground, in old oil fields. Oil companies have been pumping gas into ageing oil fields to help extract the last dregs of oil for years, and in Norway they've been running trials on storing CO2. Lots of work being done on this as the S of CCS. Fiddler: comes from Carbonscape. No idea of provenance, but it seems to refer to waste from forestry, yes.

Cindy: the general idea is to shove it underground, in old oil fields. Oil companies have been pumping gas into ageing oil fields to help extract the last dregs of oil for years, and in Norway they’ve been running trials on storing CO2. Lots of work being done on this as the S of CCS.

]]> By: cindy http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2724 cindy Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:24:53 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2724 maybe this is a stupid question, but what happens to the C02 after it has been captured? maybe this is a stupid question, but what happens to the C02 after it has been captured?

]]> By: Fiddler http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2723 Fiddler Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:24:41 +0000 http://hot-topic.co.nz/catch-a-microwave/#comment-2723 "13 million tonnes of radiata pine waste dumped every year" Where did this figure come from? I'm assuming the bulk of this waste is the stuff leftover from the logging and milling processes. Yes? “13 million tonnes of radiata pine waste dumped every year”

Where did this figure come from? I’m assuming the bulk of this waste is the stuff leftover from the logging and milling processes. Yes?

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