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To: Sdgla who wrote (2707)	9/25/2011 11:13:12 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 85487

"You will burn wood ?" I did, I have, and I will. So far, in 35 years or so, haven't even had to cut a tree. Planted plenty, tho. Burning wood is considered carbon-neutral because it does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide (a regularly occurring molecule but also a greenhouse gas) cycling through the atmosphere. Carbon is continually cycling through all living plants and animals. Tree growth and wood decomposition represent a short-term carbon cycle, where growing trees convert carbon dioxide to woody biomass and decomposing trees release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Whether trees naturally decompose or burn, carbon dioxide is emitted back into the atmosphere, replacing what was just taken out. As long as global tree biomass production is at least as fast as wood is burned and it decomposes, the carbon cycle remains in balance; there is no net increase of carbon in the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere; most of it cannot be absorbed into the carbon cycle. extension.org Oddly enuf, I'm not alone. Even stranger, it's planned for Texas. Don't know if they are built or not... Wood is an excellent source of energy. It can be used to create biofuels, burned directly, turned into a synthetic gas or pyrolyzed – turned into a liquid to create electricity. Potential fuel sources for wood-fired power plants include mill residues, sawdust, wood trimmings and construction debris. Wood-fired power plants can have a positive impact on the economy of some rural areas. At present, Texas has no operating wood-to-electricity facilities, but two are being developed. Nacogdoches Power is building a large wood-burning facility in Sacul, Texas expected to be operational in late 2009. And Mesquite Fuels & Agriculture in Hamlin, Texas plans to establish a smaller-scale wood-gasification facility expected to be operational in spring or summer 2008. 1 These facilities are projected to add about 500 jobs to all sectors of the economy once completed.2 window.state.tx.us == This report includes summary information on 20 biomass power plants—18 in the United nrel.gov = Not just wood. Some people heat with corn cobs. backwoodshome.com Burning buffalo chips? In a manner of speaking... A San Francisco utility yesterday unveiled a system that collects methane from cattle manure and converts it into biogas, which is almost identical to natural gas. The dung-derived gas is then pumped through the company's pipeline to power plants. The pilot project, based at a farm in Fresno county, central California, is the brainchild of life-long dairyman David Albers. It aims to produce enough natural gas to power 1,200 homes a day and, if successful, inspire a host of similar operations across the state's agricultural heartland. telegraph.co.uk