Alternative Energy News

Renewable, Carbon Neutral, Energy System


Image by boston7513 Kevin
#1 Fuel pellet Hopper
#2 Floor Heating Zones
#3 Automatic Pellet Burning Furnace
#4 Boiler Tanks
#5 Turbine and Generator
#6 Water Storage Tank
#7 Supply for Automatic Lawn Sprinkler System

The Concept:
This concept is fueled by grass clippings, fallen tree branches, tree leaves, and any other combustible yard waste. This system is defined as carbon neutral, because the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by the organic process of growing. Unlike burning wood, this system is also a renewable source of energy. In New England, many tons of leaves, grass clippings and perennial plant wastes are produced on an annual basis and usually discarded. These waste products can be dried, shredded and compressed into fuel pellets with no need for harvesting entire trees.

NOTE: The carbon released by this system would be released by natural proses of decay even if it was not being used as fuel.

How It Works:
In this illustration #1 is the hopper where the fuel pellets are stored. #3 is the pellet burning furnace. #6 rain and snow runoff is collected in a large tank and delivered to boilers #4, above the furnace. Steam is created and cycled through the furnace, many times to extract the most amount of energy from the combustion system. #5 the gasified combustion exhaust gases are re-combusted and in combination with the steam, is used to turn a turbine for producing electricity. This electricity can be used on demand or stored in batteries. The steam exiting the turbines is recycled through the furnace ( reheated ) and then is directed to floor heating zones throughout the building #2. The steam condensates down to hot water and is stored in thermally insulated tanks for showering and cleaning. Surplus water can be cooled and used as pure distilled water.

This system would be ideal for a home or small business, and if your property does not supply enough fuel to heat and electrify your building for the entire year, I’m certain you could make up the balance by asking your neighbors or local landscape contractors for their waste, Free of charge.

In many communities throughout New England and other regions of the world, landowners pay to have these wastes removed. If your going to labor to cut grass, rake leaves, and collect downed branches anyhow. Why not use that effort to lower, or even eliminate your utility bills? How much do you pay for drinking water, hot water, heating and electricity? Perhaps you have had what you need to live this lifestyle all around you but your perception is that it is waste not energy!

Perhaps you are thinking this is a wacky idea, maybe so, but think of how many wood burning stoves are in operation today, and all you get is heat, and most of that energy is going up the chimney! How long dose it take to grow a tree? Do you have that many trees in your yard to make this a renewable resource? Or are you paying for the wood to be delivered? I think wood burning is a wacky idea!

"Not just whining about it, I have solutions!
My goal here and in life, is to be part of the solution, not a spectator!"
Kevin Moore

Read and see more of my ideas here
www.flickr.com/photos/kevinmoore001/sets/72157623631942524/

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