GREEN SYSTEMS ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Let’s celebrate higher fuel prices!
BY BOB ‘HOT ROD’ ROHR CONTRIBUTING WRITER
the automotive industry recently. In the passenger car market, there are many, sometimes confusing, options. We have most of the major automakers offering a selection — hybrids, electric only, gas/ electric and more diesel options. Buyers flock to the alternative fuels when gas prices rise to four bucks a gallon or more, so it seems. As soon as fuel prices drop below that mark, the urgency seems to lessen. Writing this article from Canada has me looking at
W 74
gasoline around five bucks a gallon. Friends in Europe are and have been paying in excess of eight bucks a gallon. Certainly, the results of high fuel prices in Europe have driven a completely different offering of vehicles. Commonly, you will see small, 1.7 – 1.9 liter, diesel- powered compact or sub-compacts. Commuting by rail is a common means of transportation. Travel through Germany, and you will see the train station parking lot filled with hundreds of bicycles and a handful of cars. High heating fuel costs abroad have driven a market for
small, smart, high efficiency heating sources. Notice that dozens of manufacturers are offering mod con boilers of high efficiency and 90%-plus furnaces. No doubt, this high efficiency trend is here to stay. Still, some continue to look for fuel sources beyond the common oil, gas or electricity. The options being explored and developed run the
gamut from mild to wild. Wood is probably the first consideration for the rural home or business owner. This fuel is readily available. Often, it also includes the cost of gas fuel to cut and split the wood, along with some sweat equity. Notice many of the outdoor wood burning appliances currently being offered. Most commonly you find these in the upper Midwest area, with, perhaps, a sprinkling in the colder mountain climates. When it comes to burning wood cleanly and efficiently,
consider an appliance that utilizes gasification technology. With this process, the exhaust is routed through a secondary burn chamber to release the energy before it passes up the flue. We continue to see more and more brands of gasification equipment coming to the U.S. from Europe. If burning wood lights your fire, visit
www.woodheat.org or
www.hearth.com and jump into a lively discussion on types, installation and control strategies being implemented. At these sites you find an eclectic mix of HVAC contractors, manufacturers, DIYers and inventors. Brace yourself for some wild installation ideas and photos. Perhaps the next evolution in solid fuel sources would
be the pellet burners. You can find a selection of pellet stoves to install in your home and provide heat, much like the wood stoves that burn cordwood. Pellets are pressed from many wood byproducts, some from sawdust, others from planner chips or shavings. Out West, the beetle-kill pines provide a seemingly endless supply of raw material
ith the rapidly changing cost of energy, the quest for alternative sources becomes more interesting. We have witnessed this evolution in
High heating fuel costs abroad have driven a market for small, smart, high efficiency heating sources.
to pellet manufacturers. Currently, Canada and the U.S. are major pellet
manufacturers and exporters. Pellet-fired boilers have been developed in Europe in a wide variety of styles. Burning pellets is a bit more user friendly than burning cord wood. Typical pellet appliances have a hopper that can provide days’ or weeks’ worth of fuel. Larger systems auger pellets from large pellet storage bins directly into the burner. This allows for a lot more control and adjustability. Most pellet-fired boilers have an ignition system and can fire up without the owner needing to light ’er up with a match or LP torch. I’m amazed every time I pick up the magazine that
follows the pellet industry. Consider some of the unique products and byproducts that are turned into pellet fuel. In Italy, olive pits are turned into fuel. A wine producer in the Czech Republic has invented a system to dry and burn plum pits. Quick growth grasses are being farmed to be turned into fuels. One manufacturer builds a large boiler that can burn an entire five-foot diameter round hay bale. Solar comes to mind when alternative energy
discussions start up. In its simplest form, a passive solar home can be designed and built to heat without any mechanical components. Passive homes are becoming more controllable, with high tech windows or motorized window coverings. Check out the passive home association to see how this industry has progressed. Active solar heating systems are also getting more
attention. There are some 100% solar homes and buildings in operation. Some of these have data loggers online so that you can “watch” them perform. Be realistic when you start exploring 100% solar systems. The size of the array and storage needed to provide 100% of your heat and DHW may dwarf your expectation and budget. Both solar hot water and hot air collectors are available in many sizes. Perhaps the most logical answer is to combine multiple
energy sources. If your location allows passive energy harvest, that should be the first consideration, active solar next. If you have access to wood and the “back” to cut, store, burn and clean up after a wood burner, it does
e Turn to HOT ROD on facing page
phc july 2011
www.phcnews.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88