The future of energy production

[woodworm]

We all need to prepare ourselves for a new word that has been created by the mandarins in Brussels - PROSUMERS.

 

The end of the energy consumer is nigh and the future for energy production lies with the individual householder (Prosumer), who will be able to buy a complete Home Micro-Generating Unit, which calls on solar PV and a micro-chp system based around improved biomass fuels (torrefied to 0% moisture content - smokeless, zero-tar and an calorific value in excess of 6.5MJ/kg) capable of generating between 1.5 - 15kWe/hr. This technology is built and has been tested.

 

Details of that technology has been presented to Govt in Westminster, Brussels and Cardiff. along with an ESCo that determines a very sound model that enables communities to develop projects that feed energy back to the grid, via wind, solar, hydro and biomass gasification, in order to generate the funds (subsidies) needed to invest in HMGU, which are then able to claim RHI payments for the very limited amount of energy that a householder needs to export back to the grid. A Prosumer will be able to generate and store his/her own energy.

 

Germany already supports energy storage at domestic levels and Brussels likes this. RHI payments for wasteful technologies will be greatly reduced over the next 12-24 months in favour of storage and micro technologies. There is a quantum shift afoot and DECC in the UK are excited by it.

 

Torrefaction - Its the future, and its almost here!

 

Woodworm

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Interesting stuff! Is there any info on DECC pages yet? I'll have a browse online later see what's out in the public domain.

 

If you have any links I'd appreciate a point in the right direction 👍🏻

[Wood wasp]

Booker is consistent in his antipathy for the greens and has touched on this a few times, latest article below being typical and has bit about burning biomass. I have read about rainforest being burnt for palm oil planting in few other publications too

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/11718550/Why-are-greens-so-keen-to-destroy-the-worlds-wildlife.html

[briquette_seller]

Can you use waste wood, or does it have to be virgin?

[woodworm]

Nothing about it DECC pages, we had a meeting with them this week regarding certain aspects of it so they are long way off putting anything out yet.

 

Torrefied virgin timber.

 

Booker?

[detritus21]

And what kind of energy is going to be used to produce the torrefied wood pellets. Is it going to be a renewable source. Are the pellets going to be delivered by transport using renewable energy? It is all good and well marketing stuff as carbon neutral but in reality it won't be. In my world microgeneration would be key also every house that can should have solar panels. I would invest in micro hydro schemes utilising wears Tha are currently redundant. Methane capture from sewage. There are many ways but in reality big business will overrule pushing the myth of carbon neutral whilst lining their pockets.

 

The use of torrefiedcwood is good but the supply chain should be vetted as using renewable sources to create the temps required for torrefication.

[woodworm]

Torrefaction

This process uses no fossil fuels or outside renewable fuels apart from when it is first started up from cold.

On start-up, the drum of the torrefaction plant is heated using LPG, for approx 1 hour max. After that the process is totally energy-self sufficient as far as heat is concerned.

The gases which are released from the wood as it drys are sent to a burner which burns them to create the heat to continue the drying process, releasing more gases, 24/7/365. Therefore there is no need for a biomass boiler to create the heat as the plant does that itself.

We can also install a biomass chp unit to supply the electric for the plant (which we are looking into) The heat from that can then be used to heat the offices.

 

I have never marketed torrefied as carbon neutral and if you want totally carbon neutral, you are out of luck with any renewable source, but torrefied biomass is as good as it gets. No importing pellets from the USA or even from the other side of the UK.

 

Microgeneration is exactly what the original post is describing. Produce your own electric at home, store what you dont use during production for when you dont need to produce it, and make use of waste heat to increase the energy efficiency of the home. No more reliance on Drax and the like and no need to heat the home with gas or heating oil.

[Island Lescure]

How do you plan to store the energy?

[woodworm]

Battery storage technology - not the Elon Musk one which is not a good enough system.

[goddard]

Interesting stuff!