Bryan Marovich wrote me recently concerned about alternate fuel for Syria givent he crisis the country is currently in. I responded asking a few questions about how it could be implemented and viability issues etc.. Then you Christina com in with a new Greek tragedy. Similar situation in terms of economic problems driving demand for alternatives albeit from very different causes.
There are two known individual briquetters in Greece but to that I would hastily add the good work on larger capacity machines is being done in Hungary by Nora Feldmar and Mestler Attila with a rural community group and over in HAiti with Kevin Adair's Fuego del Sol group . Cautioned by Cecil's insights about defining real need, I would add that defining real an sustainable market is key. Like Cecil I would add that the technologies are all out there and we debate them every day online. Its the sticky stuff of how to connect in a cultural and functionally meaningful and sustainable context--and how to co-optimise the design(s) within that context– which determines adaptability. Its not a question of lacking technical solutions per se. We will be following suite here in Guatemala for larger urban area markets but in the meantime, what do you all say; Atilla and Nora: your groups is the closest. George Linanos and Elen Aristidu you are there and have made enquiries into briquetting recently: How do you see it? We are getting the portable ratchet press made here in Guatemala but Rok Oblak is already producing his own version of it in neighboring Slovenia, Christina. That would be ideal for the household or local neighborhood association. There are probably a dozen other presses that would accomplish much of the same thing--all using grass /straw/ leaves /junk mail /sawdust. Addition of charcoal fines from the previous fire will greatly amp up the heat too if ther is no market at present for biochar there. Question is for all of us, who pays for the initial batch of machines, then who pays for going in and training in the production of briquettes and eventually the machine(s) of choice for producing them. After that it should be self sustaining--if there is a real market for the product and process. Richard Stanley www.legacyfound.org Antigua Guatmala On Jan 22, 2013, at 11:41 AM, Christina Espinosa wrote: Hello all! Heard an interesting report on NPR today about families in Greece turning to wood stoves due to economic hardship. Thought you all might find it interesting. http://www.npr.org/2013/01/22/169931378/under-a-cloud-of-austerity-real-smoke-clouds-greece-as-well Best, Christina Espinosa GenteGas S.A. _______________________________________________ Stoves mailing list to Send a Message to the list, use the email address [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org for more Biomass Cooking Stoves, News and Information see our web site: http://www.bioenergylists.org/
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