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July
Jul 22-24, '08; pre-SolWest
Solar Installation Workshop, John Day OR
Jul 24-25, 2008; pre-SolWest
Wind Energy Workshop by Robert Preus, John Day OR
Jul 25, 2008; "Building
a High Performance Home seminar," by Christopher
Dymond, John Day OR
Jul 25-27, ‘08; save the date for SolWest
2008! 
August
Aug 19-20, '08; Adaptive
Governance and Climate Change, planning, coalitions, and
forming partnerships. Hosted by the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation and the International Institute for
Indigenous Resource management. Free, pre-registration required.
Info: Merv Tano, 303-744-9808, mervtano@iiirm.org or Barbara Harper 541-966-2804.
Regular
meetings
Third Thursdays, 7pm; Harney County
"Alternative Energy Club"; Harney County
Library, Burns OR. Contact Claire Larson 541-573-6680.
contact for above, unless otherwise noted is:
EORenew, PO Box 485, Canyon
City, OR 97820.
541-575-3633. info@solwest.org |
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Book
Review:
Alcohol
Can Be a Gas
By David Blume
-a very informative book! Review
by Jennifer Barker |
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My brother said this was absolutely the best book he
had ever read, and he assured me my life could not be complete unless
I had a copy. I agree with him that everyone who has questions about
alcohol fuels should read this book. It's a big, thick volume that
will answer most of your questions about how ethanol is made, from
what feedstocks it can be made, and how it is used for fuel. If for
no other reason, this book is worth buying for the wonderful sidebars
and cartoons!
Blume includes a great discussion about the elaborate
processes it takes to break down cellulose into fermentable sugars
(but I'm glad I won't be taking a test on the material...). Here's
what it appears to come down to: cost-effective cellulosic ethanol is
still 5 to 10 years away, as it has been for decades, and may forever
remain. But at least I understand why (kind of...).
It seems that unless we want to risk releasing
genetically-modified cellulose-digesting enzymes into the
environment, which Blume and I agree would be really dangerous, we
must wait for some better way to convert cellulose into fermentable
sugars. Still, I gather from the book that research is yielding
progress in the form of yeasts which will ferment more of the sugars
made with currently available processes. This will improve the energy
returned on energy invested (now the main stumbling block between
cellulosic ethanol and economic viability).
Though this book has its flaws (I saw at least one industrial
ag study cited that has recently been debunked), it's a great
resource for those who, like me, have questions about alcohol fuels.
Whether one is a proponent of biofuels or not, there are studies and
facts available to support either position. After reading this book I
feel that alcohol will be a valuable part of our energy mix in the
future, along with other renewables like wind, solar, wave energy,
and of course the essential: energy efficiency. What it really comes
down to, for me, is that we have to learn how to satisfy our needs
with much, much less energy than we are used to consuming.
Theoretically, I love the idea of alcohol as fuel. It can be
produced on a reasonably local scale (keeping money in local
economies). The byproducts are potentially useful, even valuable.
Blume is a permaculturist, and he espouses using waste products from
other agricultural processes (notably fish and animal-raising) to
fertilize the crops raised for fuel production, then to use
byproducts from alcohol production to feed the animals. This is a lot
more efficient than our current agricultural model, but still
downplays the loss of fertility that must come as we siphon off both
energy and food.
You'll notice that I said above that the book would answer
most of your questions. One of my questions was: can I actually make
alcohol, here at my homestead? The feedstock has to grow in my
climate and soil without major inputs. Blume claims in his
"Two-minute Summary" that "No new technological
breakthroughs are needed. We can make alcohol fuel out of what we
have, where we are," but I found that was not true for me.
Though he says you can use grass clippings, and describes how to make
a mash from Jerusalem artichokes (which I can easily grow), the
technology to ferment these feedstocks is not yet practical for` the
small homestead brewer.
For now it appears, unless you can grow a crop with high
6-carbon sugar content, and you don't need those crops for food,
you'd be better off finding ways to use less energy than to set your
heart on finding the holy grail of making your own liquid fuels from
local feedstocks.
Still, I'd love to have a distillery in my community, making
fuel for efficient public transit. Is this a utopian vision? If I can
even imagine a world like that, it's part of the power of this book.
Alcohol Can Be a Gas belongs on the bookshelf of everyone who would
like to observe our nation's energy quandary from an informed position.
Resources:
Alcohol Can Be a Gas: www.alcoholcanbeagas.com
US Energy Flow 2006: www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pdf/pages/sec1_3.pdf
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The Energy Independence Sol-utions is a quarterly newsletter of:
Eastern Oregon Renewable Energies Non-profit Corporation, PO Box 485,
Canyon City, OR 97820 (office at 150 E Main, John Day). Phone
541-575-3633, Email: info@solwest.org, web: www.solwest.org. EORenew
is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
Our goal
is to empower people to increase their energy efficiency and use of
solar, wind and other renewables.
EORenew Board of Directors:
Kay Firor, chair
Jennifer Barker, asst. chair, ex. dir.
Chuck Koch
Ken Primrose
Bob Reimiller
Mark Wallace
The Energy Independence Sol-utions is mailed free to EORenew members.
Annual dues: basic (no frills) $15, deluxe $25, family $35, business
$40, Provider $100, Patron $200. Opinions expressed in the newsletter
do not necessarily reflect those of EORenew. Submit comments or
articles to the address above. |
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Archived
articles:
EarthToys
Interview - Living Off The Grid, on EarthToys
Emagazine, June 2008.
Postmodern
PV Pioneers (PDF, 524KB), from Home
Power Magazine #120, Aug/Sep07.
Tips
for Responsible Wood Burning (PDF, 268KB), from the
Blue Mountain Eagle, Feb. 28, 2007
How
Many Energy Slaves Do We Employ?, on EarthToys
Emagazine, August 2006.
Do
a Little Energy Homework Before Investing in RE Production,
on EarthToys Emagazine,
April 2005.
Buying
an Energy-Efficient Refrigerator (PDF, 773KB),
from Home Power Magazine
#104, Dec04/Jan05.
SolWest
RE Fair Hosts 2,000 Visitors (PDF, 137KB), from
the 2003-4 Grant County Visitors' Guide.
Energy
Fair Scrapbook (PDF, 517KB), from Home
Power Magazine #92, Dec02/Jan03.
SolWest
RE Fair 2001 (PDF, 146KB), from Home
Power Magazine #86, Dec01/Jan02.
Take
that Office off the Grid! (PDF,
146KB), from Home Power Magazine #86,
Dec01/Jan02.
Adventures
in Electrathon & Grease Power at SolWest
(PDF, 111KB), from Home Power Magazine #80,
Dec00/Jan01.
SolWest
Renewable Energy Fair 2000 (PDF, 108KB), from Home
Power Magazine #80, Dec00/Jan01.
Utility-intertied
PV Workshop (PDF, 242KB), from Home
Power Magazine #80, Dec00/Jan01.
SolWest
Renewable Energy Fair (PDF, 116KB), from Home
Power Magazine #73, Oct/Nov99.
Activities
and lesson plans for young people:
The
Fable of Max, a story with pictures for children
ages 3-8.
NGO
Project, a lesson plan for sizing a solar water
system in an imaginary African town (physics, grades 9-12).
White
papers, adult education:
Video
and audio material:
Archived
newsletters:
Winter 07-08
(5.8MB) Annual report, John Day Solar Tour, Opportunities in
Renewable Energy, Q&A about CFLs
Fall07 (6.3 MB)
Solwest 2007, Solar Poetry, Soloar Careers, Oregon Open for Solar
Business, National Solar Tour
Spring07
(2.8MB) SolWest Workshops Inspire Curriculum, SolarWorld, Groups &
Educational Opportunities
Winter 06-07
(2.2 MB) SolWest Has Wide Influence, Franklin Building Energy
Makover, Oregon Projects in Mass. & Pakistan
Fall06 (3.6MB)
SolWest 2006, Billy & Bobby & Betty McGee, Solar Drag Race,
Rural Development Grants
Spring06 (2.2
MB) SolWest preview, Tax Credits & Incentives, Energy Slaves,
Oregon Apollo program, Sustainable Schools
Winter05-06
(2MB) Annual report, Buying Biodiesel in the Inland NW,
Energy-effiicent and Solar Windows, OTEC candidates
Fall05 (2.9MB)
SolWest 2005, Ode to a Sunflower, Jim Slater, energy bills,
Pre-SolWest Hands-on Workshop Installs System
Spring05
(2.2MB) Powering the Good Life with RE, White Buffalo & Solar
Collectors, New Solar Food Drying Book
Winter04-05
(1.2 MB) Peak Oil: Why Should We Care?, News from EORenew, End of the
Age of Oil
Fall04 (1.4 MB)
SolWest Summary, Teachers' Resource CD-ROM, Summer Intern, 2004 Solar
Home Tour
Spring04 (1.3
MB) SolWest Preview, Gov's RE Action Plan, Hydrogen News, Business
Incentives for RE
Winter03-04
(pdf format, 1.2 MB) Our solar-powered office, Visit to a Classroom,
Tour of OutBack Power HQ
Fall03 (pdf
format, 1.2 MB) SolWest Summary, Photo Album, National Solar Tour
Spring03 (pdf
format, 3.6 MB) Classroom Visits, Refrigerator Energy Use
Winter02-03
(pdf format, 5 MB) Solar Cookery, EORenew Energy Services, Tour of a
Wood-fired Co-Gen
Fall 02 (pdf
format, 1.6 MB) SolWest Summary, Electrathon Results, Solar Water
Pumping Installation
Spring02 (pdf
format, 1.3 MB) Financial Incentives for RE, Energy Audit Your Own Home
Winter01-02
(pdf format, 1.3 MB) Passive Solar House in Sandy, How much Does
Solar Cost?
Fall01 (pdf
format, 1.5 MB) SolWest Summary, EORenew Off-gird Office Workshop,
OTEC PV Incentives
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