Page 26 RAIN May 1976 Capturing the Sun Proceedings of the March 11-12, 1976, co.nference in Washington, D. C., will be available by June 1976 from the conference coordinators: Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies, 1717.Massachusetts Ave., N. W., Washington, DC 20036, phone 202-462-4874. Papers given at the conference ranged in scope from sea farming of kelp on 400 square miles of ocean (enough to provide for present total demand for natural gas in the U.S.) to a $850 household biogas plant using swine manure to provide cooking gas for a Taiwanese farmer. Emphasis seemed, as is usually the case, to focus on very large scale applications. The following outline gives a good overview of areas covered by the conference. 1. Urban and Industry Wastes a. Electricity or steam generation by direct burning of shredded wastes mixed with coal in St. Louis (Mo.), Ames (Iowa) and Saugus (Mass.) b. Pyrolysis (destructive distillation) of wastes to produce gases, oils and char for use as boiler, home-heating and motor fuels in Baltimore (Md.), Charleston (W. Va.) and San Diego (Cal.) c. Collection of methane gas from sewage plant and sanitary landfills in Los Angeles and Palos Verdes (Cal.) d. Fermentation (anaerobic digestion) of wastes to produce methane gas in Pompano Beach (Fla.) e. Enzyme hydrolysis of celluslosic wastes to produce industrial sugars and alcohol fuels in Natick (Mass.) 2. Agricultural and Forestry Wastes a. Inventorying of forest, field crop and animal wastes to estimate nation-wide quantities potentially available for bioconversion. b. Investigation of technical, economic and environmental factors in large scale conversion of forest, field-crop and feedlot residues to fuels and related chemicals. c. Development of small-scale farm and village digesters for U.S. and overseas use in converting wastes to methane gas in Monroe (Wash.) 3. Special Land and Fresh· Water Energy Farming a. Analysis of the technology and economics involved in large scale production of forest and field crops specifically for energy. b. Investigation of potential for major energy production from algae cultures and lake plants (e.g., hyacinth). --OCEAN SURFACE DIAGRAM OF YOUNG ADULT MACROCYSTIS PLANT. A,HOL.DFAST: B,PRIMARV STIPE; C,STUBS OF FROND; D, SPOROPHYLL CLUSTER; E, JUVENILE FROND; F, SE NILE FROND; G, STIPE BUNDLE; H,APICAL MERISTEM. NO ROOT INVOLVED-PLANT TAKES ALL NUTRIENT DIRECT FROM SURROUNDING WATER. Diagram of a young adult kelp plant. (Courtesy of W. J. North, California /ns1i1111e of Ted1110/011y/ 4. Ocean Farming Testing of open-ocean rafts for large-volume growing of seaweeds (e.g., kelp) and conversion into methane gas and related foods and chemicals. • Further information and project contact names are available from the Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies, phone 202-462-4874. Throughout the conference there seemed to be a great lack of concern for the environmental impact of large bioconversion systems. One of the best examples of this was the failure to consider the ecological impact to a forest when removing residues for combustion of pyrolysis (destructive distillation). It seems very obvious what the outcome of such actions would be if this removal of food and nutrients were practiced on a large mechanized scale. Sentiments for a conservation and ecological approach were well presented in an unscheduled presentation by Abbey Rockefeller at a workshop on "related products." Ms. Rockefeller is the U.S. distributor for the Swedish Clivus Multrum waterless composting toilet system developed by Carl Lin<Jstrom. Ms. Rockefeller deftly criticized the enthusiasm of those who would exploit for profit the earth's renewable resources with no concern for conservation and ecological limitations. A really moving and inspirational speech was given at the first luncheon by Russell Peterson, chairman for the Council on Environmental Quality. He related his topic to a recent visit he had made to Seattle. The latter part of the speech was devoted to Chief Sealth's view of the human-environmental system, the lack of feeling which western man expressed • toward the earth and the harmonious relationship needed for our creative survival on this earth. Many of the papers given were very good. The most environmentally sound practices in bioconversion seem to be those using digestion or fermentation processes. These methods are less efficient in terms of energy production, but the overall return to the earth is greatest. For example, the energy production alone from the anaerobic digestion process (methane production from organic waste) is only 35-50% of the total energy available from the same material if it were burned directly. The end result of the burning process yields only ash with trace minerals, whereas the digestion process yields a fertilizer product with almost no losses of nitrogen or phosphorous. Among the best papers given at the conference were the following: "Ocean Farming:" Howard Wilcox, Ocean Farm Project, Naval Undersea Center, San Diego, CA "Agricultural Waste Management," William Jewell, Prof. of Agricultural Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY "Forestry Waste," Harold E. Young, Complete Tree Institute, University of Maine at Orono, Orono, ME "Digester in the Republic of China," Bruce Billings, V.P., Aerospace Corp., Los Ang_eles, CA
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