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All things biochar: production, gh gases, soil, crops, water, etc.

Woody biomass WG meeting

Author: Milton E McGiffen

Published on: May 17, 2016

USING WOOD TO MAKE RENEWABLE ENERGY

Space is still available for the Wood to Renewable Energy Workshops next week in Eureka, CA on May 17th, 2016 and Hopland, CA on May 19th, 2016. Although both events are free to attend, we ask that you register ahead to time at:
• Eureka: Call the UC Cooperative Extension office at 707-445-7351, or go online to http://cehumboldt.ucanr.edu/.
• Hopland: Call the Hopland Research and Extension Center office at 707-744-1424, or go online to http://hrec.ucanr.edu/.

Who Should Attend:
Anyone with an interest in learning more about where Humboldt and Mendocino source their electric power, or who may be interested in exploring local choice for future renewable energy is invited to attend.
________________________________________
EUREKA HOPLAND
________________________________________
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2016
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
________________________________________
Agricultural Center

5630 South Broadway Eureka, CA 95503 Hopland Research and
Extension Center

4070 University Rd, Hopland, CA 95449
________________________________________Cost:
Free
The public is invited to join the University of California Cooperative Extension and the Hopland Research and Extension Center for an evening in both Eureka and Hopland to explore opportunities to develop a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) – a program that enables counties to source energy for local electricity consumers. Participants in these evening events will also learn how woody biomass is utilized locally in the production of bioenergy; how woody biomass utilization compares with other renewable resources; and how woody biomass is linked to healthy forests and healthy local economies.

Event speakers include:
• Matthew Marshall, Executive Director of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (Eureka);
• Greg Brehm (invited), Director of Power Resources for Marin Clean Energy (Hopland);
• Angie Lottes, Biomass Program Manager for the Watershed Research and Training Center; and
• Peter Tittmann, Academic Coordinator for the UC Berkeley Center for Forestry who specializes in woody biomass.
________________________________________
Where and when?
Both events will take place from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and are wheelchair accessible.
• Eureka: Tuesday, May 17th, Agricultural Center, 5630 South Broadway.
• Hopland: Thursday, May 19, Hopland Research and Extension Center, 4070 University Rd.
Who should attend?
Anyone with an interest in learning more about where Humboldt and Mendocino source their electric power, or who may be interested in exploring local choice for future renewable energy is invited to attend.

Cost
Both events are FREE, although registration is required as space is limited.

Registration
• Eureka: Call the UC Cooperative Extension office at 707-445-7351, or go online to http://cehumboldt.ucanr.edu/.
• Hopland: Call the Hopland Research and Extension Center office at 707-744-1424, or go online to http://hrec.ucanr.edu/.
More Information
• Eureka Meeting: 5/16/2016 Agenda
• Hopland Meeting: 5/19/2016 Agenda

Tags: biomass (10), energy conversion (2), Energy Security and Green Technologies (1), woody biomass (1)

Comments: 0

grant opportunity for value added biochar

Author: Milton E McGiffen

Published on: April 9, 2016

The USDA just sent out the grant notice below. I could see a simple pyrolysis system for small and medium size growers that turned tree trimmings into biochar as a biochar added product:

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Release No. 0088.16

Contact:

Office of Communications (202)720-4623

USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Agricultural Producers Increase the Value of Their Products

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is making up to $44 million available to farmers, ranchers and businesses to develop new bio-based products and expand markets through the Value-Added Producer Grant program.

"America's farmers, ranchers and rural business owners are innovative entrepreneurs and this program helps them grow economic opportunities for their families and communities by increasing the value of the items they produce," Vilsack said. "The Value-Added Producer Grant program has a great track record of helping producers increase the value of products and expand their markets and customer base, strengthening rural America in the process."

Value-Added Producer Grants may be used to develop new products and create additional uses for existing ones. Priority for these grants is given to veterans, members of socially disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, and operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches. Additional priority is given to applicants who seek funding for projects that will create or increase marketing opportunities for these types of operators.

More information on how to apply is on page 20607 of the April 8 Federal Register. The deadline to submit paper applications is July 1, 2016. Electronic applications submitted through grants.gov are due June 24, 2016. Additional information and assistance is available through the USDA Rural Development Office serving your county.

Since 2009, USDA has awarded 1,126 Value-Added Producer Grants totaling $144.7 million. USDA awarded 205 grants to beginning farmers and ranchers.

Value-Added Producer Grants are a key element of USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which coordinates the Department's work to develop local and regional food systems. Secretary Vilsack describes the cultivation of local and regional food systems as one of the four pillars of rural economic development that impacts farm family income and strengthens local economies. Under Secretary Vilsack, USDA has supported providing consumers a stronger connection to their food with more than $1 billion in investments to over 40,000 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects since between 2009. Industry data estimates that U.S. local food sales totaled at least $12 billion in 2014, up from $5 billion in 2008. More information on how USDA investments are connecting producers with consumers and expanding rural economic opportunities is available in Chapter IV of USDA Results on Medium.

Two examples of Value-Added Producer Grant awards from 2015 include:

Shoshone-Bannock Enterprises in Fort Hall, Idaho, received a $75,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study on processing, packaging and marketing buffalo meat, a first step in identifying potential new market opportunities.
Sappa Valley Poultry in Oberlin, Kan., received a $49,663 grant to expand distribution of their free-range chicken products into eastern Colorado and western Kansas markets.

Congress increased funding for the Value-Added program in the 2014 Farm Bill. That law builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 7,000 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; financed 180,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses.

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Comments: 0

Four billion people globally facing water insecurity

Author: Milton E McGiffen

Published on: February 27, 2016

Raymond Baltar of the Sonoma Biochar Initiative passed on this thorough look at global water security. It has nice illustrations and good references. The maps show our troubles here in the western USA, but perhaps the larger point is that so much of the bigger global problems are centered in a few countries that are already having problems with water and population.

Attached Files