Re: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery
Dear Group, My company is working with the orignal designers of the batteries here in Australia. If you need to more detail information about the batteries I can email more technical informaton about them as I do'nt want to flood the group with to many Files. I don't know about Canada but here in Australia the smallest unit that they are producing is a 10kw/h system that will retail for about $25,000 australian. The maxium power that can be drawn is 5kw for 2 hours or any part of that. The system has a round trip efficency of about 80% and can be charged and discharged at a rate of 5kw/h. - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 2:00 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery You can buy it now. Here is what I found from http://www.vrbpower.com/technology/faqs.html - the Canadian company which sells VRB. More information about the technology available on their site. 11. What is the Cost per kW? What is the Incremental Cost of Additional Storage Capacity? The cost is quoted in $/kWh or $/MWh since the VRB-ESS is an Energy Storage System and should not be considered a UPS or even a generator. Although the VRB-ESS provides the full UPS capability, its primary use is for energy storage for long periods, which UPS and conventional technologies cannot provide. As an approximate cost, systems are priced between $350-$600 per kWh, sizes ranging from a few hundred kW's to MW size systems. As the size of the system in kWh increases, the cost per unit decreases significantly. The incremental cost of storage for large systems is approximately $150 per kWh. Quoting D. Mindock [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Ref: Vanadium redox battery This seems to be the battery we've all been waiting for. I wonder what'll it cost here in the US? Peace, D. Mindock More info at: http://www.answers.com/topic/vanadium-redox-battery - Original Message - From: Kirk McLoren To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; biofuel Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 7:00 PM Subject: [Biofuel] Vanadium battery http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/04/the_vanadium_ba.php A new mass energy storage technology is on the cusp of entering mainstream society. The Japanese are currently using it on a grand scale, the Canadians have comprehensively evaluated it and soon Australians will have the opportunity to replace their old lead-acid batteries with a Vanadium Redox Battery alternative. There are no emissions, no disposal issues, no loss of charge, the construction materials are 'green' and the battery can be charged and discharged simultaneously. So, is the Vanadium Battery as good as it sounds and more importantly, is it the solution to our energy storage problems? Quite simply...Yes. The potential of this system can be easily summed up in one word: 100% recharge/discharge. Well that's slightly more than one word, but still it is an impressive group of words. I'm a little excited here, so let me back track a little and explain the importance of Vanadium Batteries to our very existence. It has been possible for quite some time to successfully gather energy through a variety of renewable energy sources, in particular solar and wind. The main problem however, which is also true for fossil fuel energy generation, is the storage of the energy. There is no point in generating surplus uber-watts on one sunny and windy day to find the next day is still and raining and worst of all there is no power to play the new DVD of Stainless Steel Rat on your suped-up 80 inch LCD screen (sorry...just wishful thinking). If the energy cannot be stored on the day of bountiful bliss than a renewable energy system is useless. snip ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
Dear Kevin, I do this for a living. My company is based in Australia and we supply off-the-homes with power. In outback Australia it can cost upwards of $150,000 to connect to the grid. You should never use a large diesel genset unless you intend to use it to its maximum capacity, running a diesel genset at half load or less will greatly reduce the life of the motor. The best is to create a diesel-battery hydrib system where the diesel genset act large a battery charger and runs at full power (usually 3 hours) until the batteries are charged, you then run off the batteries through an inverter for the rest of the time. During the charging process you can run a heat exchanger through the radiator to heat a water supply for either hot water for your house or what I do a lot of in Australia is hydronic underfloor heating. Also I would try to introduce solar voltaic panels which will give you enough energy for the summer period while during the winter period the system will rely more on the energy from the diesel. It is very important to work out what your energy usage is before you start designing a system. I am happy to help. I have modelling software to help come up with the most economic system. - Original Message - From: Ken Provost [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 11:23 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid? On Jul 15, 2006, at 5:33 PM, Jason Katie wrote: is it to a workshed or is it to your house? if it is a house, i personally would start with a 25Kw generator for main power under $1 so far, and that's 200 amps of 120 VAC! Maybe even overkill (it's a single-family dwelling, 1400 sq ft, strawbale, plus detached strawbale shop). Around here propane would be most practical -- not great I know, but I wouldn't be able to make enough biodiesel/methane/whatever. and then next begin replacing big energy sinks like heating and cooling with geothermal, woodfire, heating oil(and all its variants), biogas, or solar/solar-thermal systems (preferably a mix for reliability). This is sunny logging country (Sierra foothills) so a wood/propane multifuel boiler for radiant heat, with solar hot water backup, would be very doable. 3600W PV system with batteries could supplant the generator more than half the year. It will take a while, but after all is said and done, you can call out the PGE surveyor and rub it in his face. Oh boy :-)I hadn't really considered relying heavily on a motor- generator (noisy, smelly, polluting, especially in an area where grid power comes largely from hydro), but I admit the economics are compelling. Something to think about -- thanks! -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
Dear Kevin, With energy efficient appliances you must weigh up the cost of the appliance compared to how much it reduces the cost of the power system. For e.g if a frig/freezer uses a third of all your power and you could half the energy consumed by those appliances then the size of batteries, solar panels and fuel consumed would also reduce. typically you could reduce 1-1.5 solar panels, save at least 1 hour of generator running time per day and reduce your battery bank size to 3/4 of the original size. If you add all those savings together you would gain more than the cost of an energy efficient frig. - Original Message - From: Ken Provost [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 7:16 AM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid? On Jul 16, 2006, at 1:25 PM, Kirk McLoren wrote: If I had the bucks I suppose all these hi tech appliances would be nice. Unfortunately I dont so I have to use what most people use. I agree -- THOUSANDS of dollars for a refrigeratorsheesh! I think if you pump your own water 30 kWhrs a day is more realistic. That's already on its own PV array :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] biodiesel with heat and pressure
Hello my name is Manuel, Has anyone here tried to make biodiesel with very high FFA using high temp and high pressure using ethanol. thanks ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] grease trap waste
Has anyone has any experience with grease trap waste. I am looking into an idea of collecting grease trap waste and seperating the water from the grease, then heating the grease to a level where it can be filtered and used in gas turbines while the water is cleaned up and use for irrigation I know grease trap waste is very high in FFA but does this atler it total energy value or just its gelling point. - Original Message - From: Joey Hundert [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 8:33 PM Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Widescale Biodiesel Production from Algae byMichaelBriggs Todd, Please forgive the fact that I'm about to post a previous thread into this one, however, the archives don't seem to be working tonight. The following is Keith's last post on this issue. Subj: RE: Algae - was Re: [Biofuel] Gasoline Prices Todd, if you keep a good personal archive, please also note the thread the bad news about biodiesel http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg58130.html as it also has some kernels. -Joey Hello Craig Hello Keith, I've been doing a bit of research on microalgae production for energy and found there is some research going on around the world in various places. The NREL's 'Aquatic Species Program' research closed in the mid 1990's due, among other things, to pressure for DOE funding and the decision to focus their research budgets on ethanol production. Were those the only reasons? I thought there were some negative reasons about algae too, could always be wrong though. Also in the 1990's the Japanese took the idea on in a big way, spending more than $250 million on research into hi-tec bioreactors with optical fiber devices etc but found they were too expensive to be economical. I believe research is continuing there but on a smaller scale; I haven't heard of any such research here, and I'm a bit sceptical. As with biodiesel itself - it's quite easy to get the impression that there's lots of fancy stuff going on here, especially if you listen to several quite noisy people, and there are indeed some fancy Japanese patents, but in fact biodiesel hardly exists here, some (or most) of the few projects that do exist are very bad, to the extent that emissions tests for exemption from the restrictions of the anti-diesel campaign here (Tokyo and some other places) will no longer allow biodiesel because they've found it's so badly made it wrecks the machinery. Tests of our biodiesel have shown it would pass and wouldn't mess up any machinery, but they made a blanket rule: NO biodiesel, great, thanks guys. More and more people are making their own now, since we got involved (not boasting, that's what's happened), high-quality fuel, but it doesn't count, too bad. Same with ethanol, lots of good research, lots of schemes, but nothing happens. Yet. China and Israel are also leaders in applied phycology and have done work on biofuels from algae. Michael Briggs, of UNH, and his team are currently focusing on enclosed systems where the algae will process wastewater too. Have they made any biodiesel from it yet? John Benemann, who was involved in the NREL research, is now an independent consultant and heading up an international network who are researching into it: their website gives a good overview Thanks, I'll take a look. http://www.co2captureandstorage.info/networks/Biofixation.htm . http://www.co2captureandstorage.info/networks/documents/01roadmp.pdf Other links... NREL research http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34796.pdf http://govdocs.aquake.org/cgi/reprint/2004/915/9150010.pdf Further studies http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/pdf/algae_salton_sea.pdf http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/energy/pdf/36_qingyu_wu_en.pdf Discussion forum exchanges http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpcs=447609751f=719605551m =932606061r=932606061#932606061 Um... (burp), no thanks. http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3153. http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3414whichpage=1 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oil_from_algae/ Algal biodiesel plant planned for California?? (I don't know anything more about it) http://www.bfi.org/Trimtab/spring02/biodiesel.htm US Company making algal biodiesel from power station gases http://www.greenfuelonline.com/index.htm I find the last link particularly interesting. My only problem with it - and with John Benemann's network - is the idea of putting CO2 from coal power stations into algae. All that fossil carbon still ends up in the atmosphere eventually: we need to focus on ways of locking it up permanently. Like just leaving it where it is now, for instance, nicely locked up and causing no trouble (apart from the odd war and so on). Some hope. Also, as an alternative to algae, a lot of research is being done on biomass-to-liquid technology which could turn trees into a very pure diesel fuel with fewer pollutants than
Re: [biofuel] home heating oil
MH Here in Australia we have NatHERS (National Housing energy rating system). Every new house must pass a star rating system similar to appliances. Depending on the area you need say 3.5 stars to 5 star rating. All you need is to send in the plans of your home with details like orientaion, colours, type of windows and sizes, wall roof and floor insulation, window placment, major trees, type of heating and cooling systems. Your home is then rated giving you KW/square meter required to heat the house. This gives you a pretty good idea of the amount of energy required. there should be something similar in the USA to the Australian system. Mani Yahoo! Groups Sponsor -~-- Free $5 Love Reading Risk Free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/TPvn8A/PfREAA/Ey.GAA/FGYolB/TM -~- Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send quot;unsubscribequot; messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [biofuel] Generating power
Here is a company that might be solving the problem of using batteries for off-grid power. http://www.beaconpower.com/ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor -~-- Get your FREE credit report with a FREE CreditCheck Monitoring Service trial http://us.click.yahoo.com/Gi0tnD/bQ8CAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM -~- Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[biofuel] diesels running on hydrogen
does anybody know anything about converting a diesel engine to run on hydrogen. thank Mani Yahoo! Groups Sponsor -~-- Get your FREE credit report with a FREE CreditCheck Monitoring Service trial http://us.click.yahoo.com/Gi0tnD/bQ8CAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM -~- Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[biofuel] running a house from a generator
I have been running my farm house from a generator/battery setup for over a year now and it is great but not with out its problems. The average house energy efficient home will use between 6Kw and 10Kw per day assuming your hot water is gas/solar and your cooking is gas. The problem is with the batteries. A battery (deep cycle) can only be charge up at 10% of its value without risking damage to them. You must remember that the batteries take all the load and the generator simply charges the batteries. The power to house is supplied through an inverter. If you use 10Kw/day then you can only put in 1Kw per hour into the batteries, therefore at the quickest it would take 10 hours to replace what you took out in that day. Therefore if your generator is any bigger than 1kw then you are wasting fuel. A way to get around this problem is to have bigger batteries, so if your generator is rated at 5kw then you need 50kw of batteries (very expensive). but you would only need to run your generator for 2 hours a day. Remember just because the fuel is free we shouldn't waste it. Mani Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
[biofuel] using the gycerlin
Hello everyone this is Manuel again, I am looking for simple ways of refining the gylcerin from the biodiesel process. I am looking at using a microgas turbine to produce electricity (now they run from diesel), these turbine produce about 30kw/h of electricty but also produce hot gas at about 260 degrees, which I think is close to the boiling point of gylcerine. 1. does anyone know of a simple refining process if I have the heat energy. 2. does anyone know who buys purified glycerine and what are they getting per kg thanks Mani Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [biofuel] Fat filter
Hi a solution to your problem might be to use a type of centrifuge machine. This is basicly a spinning bottle or flask. All the heavy solids should fall to the bottom of the bottle then you take the left over oil from the top. One could make a simple centrifuge out of an old washing machine motor and a plastic drum. I hope this will help. - Original Message - From: Andrew Graham [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@egroups.com Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2001 10:19 AM Subject: [biofuel] Fat filter Has anyone out there got any good ideas on an effective method for filtering used cooking fat. I run my car on straight heated fat but I regularly clog up my fuel filter. I currently get my fat from fast food outlets, then sieve it, and filter it twice through cloth. This is a slow messy process but still leaves too many solids in the fuel. It is not a pleasant job changing the filter, not cheap and the used filters are an environmental hazard in themselves. Thanks, Andrew. Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[biofuel] Biodeisel
Hello my name is Manuel cilia form Sydney Australia. I am wondering if any one has looked into the possibility of breaking down used cooking oil into a lighter oil (such as biodeisel) by using high output ultraviolet light. Since the whole aim of transesterification is to break down the heavier oil molecule into smaller light ones, if we could break down the molecules using uv light(which happens in nature but at a slower rate), the cost of producing biodeisel and any byproducts would be greatly reduced. If this idea has any worth could you please let me know thank you Manuel Cilia This idea if it works would greatly simplify the whole process. Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[biofuel] mani cilia
I am enquiring has any thought been given about gasification of used cooking oil instead of converting to biodiesel. Since cooking oil is a hydrocarbon based product it should produce hydrogen and co2 gas. This would be a much cleaner source of fuel and could be used used to run on petrol engines that has been converted to natural gas or gas turbines. thanks -- eGroups Sponsor -~-~ eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! http://click.egroups.com/1/9699/0/_/837408/_/975921688/ -_- Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
