I'm writing a paper for an online class I'm taking for a BS degree. the topic concerns Intermediate Technology - a phrase coined by E. F. Schumaker - most famous for his book "Small is Beautiful". I found some interesting stuff about the current biofuel induced food shortage and also some material on energy being produced from turkey waste that may be of interest to some on this forum...
Biofuel is a form of alternative energy that is currently getting much attention from business and the public. Ethanol from corn, sugar cane and other crops is being added to gasoline and therefore already a commodity in use by large corporations. Concern is rising over the diversion of food crops to ethanol, which is currently considered to be only a first generation biofuel. An independent international scientific body - The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) has released a report on the state of global agricultural development. The report, written by 40 international scientists and researchers was released and approved by 54 countries in Johannesburg, South Africa in April, 2008. The study, Abate et al. (2008), argued that:
The diversion of agricultural crops to fuel can raise food prices and reduce our ability to alleviate hunger throughout the world. The negative social effects risk being exacerbated in cases where small-scale farmers are marginalized or displaced from their land. [...] Environmental effects caused by land and water requirements of large-scale increases of first generation biofuels production are likely to persist and will need to be addressed.
Next generation biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol and biomass-to-liquids technologies allow conversion into biofuels of more abundant and cheaper feedstocks than first generation. (p. 13)
It is interesting to note that Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have not yet signed onto the report; "after watering down the formulation of several key findings during the meeting in Johannesburg, the US still claimed the assessment was unbalanced". (Practical Action CSO, 2008).
While the diversion of food crops to ethanol production plays potential havoc with world food supplies, other types of biofuel feedstocks, (that are in little danger of being eaten), are being successfully converted to energy. Blankenship (2008) reported that Fibrominn LLC has built the country's first poultry litter power plant, this $200 million facility has been in operation in Benson, Minn. since 2007 and has a 55 mega-watt capacity (p. 47).
The waste from 16,000 turkeys is placed in converter tanks where anaerobic bacteria convert the waste into methane which in turn powers electricity-producing turbines (Blankenship, 2008, p. 47). A little math and unit conversion reveals that, if the plant can operate near capacity, the energy yield per turkey is about 3.44 kilo-watts, or 29.8 amps at 115 volts. The actual yield is most likely considerably lower. A scaled-down version of this technology would make a good intermediate technology application.
Blankenship (2008) goes on to report that even the 60 to 70 percent hydrocarbon content of dehydrated human waste has the heating capacity of 7,500 to 7,800 Btu/lb - which is roughly equivalent to lignite coal (p. 47). 7650 Btu is 2242 watt-hours.
sources:
Abate, T., Albergel, J., Ambrecht, I., Avato, P., Bajai S., Beintema, N., et al. (2008). International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). http://www.agassessment.org/
Blankenship, S. (2008). Energy Sources Hide in Plain Sight. Power Engineering. 112(1). Retrieved June 19, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
Practical Action CSO. (2008). International Agriculture Assessment Calls for Immediate Radical Changes. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://practicalaction.org/?id=iaastd
Biofuel is a form of alternative energy that is currently getting much attention from business and the public. Ethanol from corn, sugar cane and other crops is being added to gasoline and therefore already a commodity in use by large corporations. Concern is rising over the diversion of food crops to ethanol, which is currently considered to be only a first generation biofuel. An independent international scientific body - The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) has released a report on the state of global agricultural development. The report, written by 40 international scientists and researchers was released and approved by 54 countries in Johannesburg, South Africa in April, 2008. The study, Abate et al. (2008), argued that:
The diversion of agricultural crops to fuel can raise food prices and reduce our ability to alleviate hunger throughout the world. The negative social effects risk being exacerbated in cases where small-scale farmers are marginalized or displaced from their land. [...] Environmental effects caused by land and water requirements of large-scale increases of first generation biofuels production are likely to persist and will need to be addressed.
Next generation biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol and biomass-to-liquids technologies allow conversion into biofuels of more abundant and cheaper feedstocks than first generation. (p. 13)
It is interesting to note that Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have not yet signed onto the report; "after watering down the formulation of several key findings during the meeting in Johannesburg, the US still claimed the assessment was unbalanced". (Practical Action CSO, 2008).
While the diversion of food crops to ethanol production plays potential havoc with world food supplies, other types of biofuel feedstocks, (that are in little danger of being eaten), are being successfully converted to energy. Blankenship (2008) reported that Fibrominn LLC has built the country's first poultry litter power plant, this $200 million facility has been in operation in Benson, Minn. since 2007 and has a 55 mega-watt capacity (p. 47).
The waste from 16,000 turkeys is placed in converter tanks where anaerobic bacteria convert the waste into methane which in turn powers electricity-producing turbines (Blankenship, 2008, p. 47). A little math and unit conversion reveals that, if the plant can operate near capacity, the energy yield per turkey is about 3.44 kilo-watts, or 29.8 amps at 115 volts. The actual yield is most likely considerably lower. A scaled-down version of this technology would make a good intermediate technology application.
Blankenship (2008) goes on to report that even the 60 to 70 percent hydrocarbon content of dehydrated human waste has the heating capacity of 7,500 to 7,800 Btu/lb - which is roughly equivalent to lignite coal (p. 47). 7650 Btu is 2242 watt-hours.
sources:
Abate, T., Albergel, J., Ambrecht, I., Avato, P., Bajai S., Beintema, N., et al. (2008). International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). http://www.agassessment.org/
Blankenship, S. (2008). Energy Sources Hide in Plain Sight. Power Engineering. 112(1). Retrieved June 19, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
Practical Action CSO. (2008). International Agriculture Assessment Calls for Immediate Radical Changes. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://practicalaction.org/?id=iaastd