Alternative Power sources - missing alternatives

Author

missing alternatives - corn heaters and biodiesel.

Bill

2005-10-18, 3:21 pm

Seems all the media is on hybrids and E85. Be careful with E85, your
loss in mileage may not make up for the decrease in price in certain
models.

You can cut the cost of your home heating by 50 percent with a corn
heater/furnace this winter. They have hoppers so you only have to feed
it corn like once a week.

Diesels are more efficent and the engines last longer than gasoline
engines. Many of these engines can run on 100 percent biodiesel made
from corn and ethanol. The mileage is only 3 percent less than regular
diesel. Volkswagon makes passenger cars like the Passat and new bug in
diesel that get 44 mpg in actual because my sister has one.

Dave Nay

2005-10-18, 3:21 pm

Just a little correction...I am in the middle of actively researching
corn burners, and the only versions that can go "all week" are the ones
that are meant as a basement replacement for your central heating plant.
The ones that look similar to a wood stove, and are located in the
living spaces require daily filling of the hopper.

Dave

Bill wrote:
> Seems all the media is on hybrids and E85. Be careful with E85, your
> loss in mileage may not make up for the decrease in price in certain
> models.
>
> You can cut the cost of your home heating by 50 percent with a corn
> heater/furnace this winter. They have hoppers so you only have to feed
> it corn like once a week.
>
> Diesels are more efficent and the engines last longer than gasoline
> engines. Many of these engines can run on 100 percent biodiesel made
> from corn and ethanol. The mileage is only 3 percent less than regular
> diesel. Volkswagon makes passenger cars like the Passat and new bug in
> diesel that get 44 mpg in actual because my sister has one.
>

Jonathan Grobe

2005-10-18, 4:21 pm

On 2005-10-18, Bill <bill.berggren@padobe.com> wrote:
>
> You can cut the cost of your home heating by 50 percent with a corn
> heater/furnace this winter. They have hoppers so you only have to feed
> it corn like once a week.

True, but:
1. The heaters/furnaces are expensive--there will be a few
years for payback.
2. The price of corn is at a cyclical low. A few years ago corn
reached $5/bushel. What happens when this happens again--your
fuel savings disappear.
3. Corn stoves/furnaces take a certain amount of manual effort--
feeding the corn into the hopper...

--
Jonathan Grobe Books
Browse our inventory of thousands of used books at:
http://www.grobebooks.com

Dave Nay

2005-10-18, 5:21 pm

Well,

Here are the numbers I have so far:

Heating Oil Used 1,100
Price per gallon $2.80
Total Heating Cost $3,080.00

BTU Per Gallon 139,000
Total BTU Used 152,900,000

BTU Per LB 7,500
LB per Bushel 55
Bushels Req's 370.67

Price per bushel $1.75 $5.00
Total cost for corn $648.67 $1,853.33

Cost of Corn Burner $3,500.00
Annual fuel savings $2,431.33 $1,226.67

Heating seasons to
recover purchase 1.44 2.85

First caveat!!

I am in the middle of Illinois, and I have all the corn I could ever
need for the rest of my life sitting about 300 ft from my front door.
This means I can buy it right out of the field from the neighbor farmer
at market price (2005-10-18 price is $1.56 - $1.71 per bu at the
elevator.) For me, the price of corn would have to rise all the way to
$8.31 for it to be the same cost as heating oil.

This illustrates the most important point, that location and
availability of corn as a fuel is the most important. If you are paying
$15 for a 50lb bag of corn at a fireplace store in downtown Chicag, then
no way is it cheaper.

Your point number three regarding the daily care and feeding of a corn
(or pellet, or split wood or coal) burner is 100% true. For me though
it looks like a no-brainer. ;-)

Dave

Jonathan Grobe wrote:
> On 2005-10-18, Bill <bill.berggren@padobe.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> True, but:
> 1. The heaters/furnaces are expensive--there will be a few
> years for payback.
> 2. The price of corn is at a cyclical low. A few years ago corn
> reached $5/bushel. What happens when this happens again--your
> fuel savings disappear.
> 3. Corn stoves/furnaces take a certain amount of manual effort--
> feeding the corn into the hopper...
>

Diddlin

2005-11-12, 12:21 pm

Dave Nay wrote:[color=darkred]
> Well,
>
> Here are the numbers I have so far:
>
> Heating Oil Used 1,100
> Price per gallon $2.80
> Total Heating Cost $3,080.00
>
> BTU Per Gallon 139,000
> Total BTU Used 152,900,000
>
> BTU Per LB 7,500
> LB per Bushel 55
> Bushels Req's 370.67
>
> Price per bushel $1.75 $5.00
> Total cost for corn $648.67 $1,853.33
>
> Cost of Corn Burner $3,500.00
> Annual fuel savings $2,431.33 $1,226.67
>
> Heating seasons to
> recover purchase 1.44 2.85
>
> First caveat!!
>
> I am in the middle of Illinois, and I have all the corn I could ever
> need for the rest of my life sitting about 300 ft from my front door.
> This means I can buy it right out of the field from the neighbor farmer
> at market price (2005-10-18 price is $1.56 - $1.71 per bu at the
> elevator.) For me, the price of corn would have to rise all the way to
> $8.31 for it to be the same cost as heating oil.
>
> This illustrates the most important point, that location and
> availability of corn as a fuel is the most important. If you are paying
> $15 for a 50lb bag of corn at a fireplace store in downtown Chicag, then
> no way is it cheaper.
>
> Your point number three regarding the daily care and feeding of a corn
> (or pellet, or split wood or coal) burner is 100% true. For me though
> it looks like a no-brainer. ;-)
>
> Dave
>
>
> Jonathan Grobe wrote:

Diddlin

2005-11-12, 12:21 pm

Sounds good Dave.

Now what about the mouse problem with your affordable corn bought right
out of the field
Pest control = early detection $500.00
Late detection $1000.00
Divorce assc. with late detection...... Priceless!

fly ash and all,,, I think I'm still gonna try one!

Diddlin in n. illinois

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