Author: farm-energy

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Introduction to Biomass Combustion

Combustion of biomass used to heat greenhouses.

Fire, or combustion of biomass, is arguably the oldest known and most widely used controllable energy source on earth. In recent years, rising costs of fossil fuels and the development of advanced equipment have made biomass combustion an economical, efficient, and practical energy source.

Principles of Combustion

Combustion is familiar to all of us, but many do not realize that it is essentially a chemical reaction. In the process of combustion, two ingredients …

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Using Combustion Heat for Energy

The end result of combustion is useful energy – typically in the form of heat, power, or both heat and power. This can be used to provide space heating for buildings, process heating for industrial needs, electricity for on-site use or sale to the grid, or the simultaneous generation of heat and electricity (so called “combined heat and power,” or CHP). Most commonly, the combustion heat is captured in the form of hot water, hot air or steam.

Most farms …

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Biomass Feedstocks for Combustion

Thought about growing a biomass crop for combustion fuel on your farm? This article offers three questions farmers can ask to evaluate growing energy producing  combustion crops. It examines wood, woody crops and grasses in more detail.

Play button  Find these topics and many other related Farm Energy media resources at the Farm Energy Media archive.
Switchgrass briquettes a combustion fuel. Photo: Daniel Ciolkosz, Extension Associate, Penn State.

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Farm Energy Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas


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Articles and Fact Sheets

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Processing Biomass for Combustion


Table Of Contents

Unprocessed biomass comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and other properties, ranging from a gooey puddle of microscopic algae to the massive trunk of a large oak tree. If any feedstock is to be used effectively for combustion, it usually needs some form of processing to ensure that it is suitable for effective use in combustion equipment. The most common types …

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Grain Drying Energy Efficiency Checklist and Tips

Grain Drying is part of a series of Efficiency Checklists and Topics that can help you to assess all areas of your farming operation for energy efficiency and find ideas to save energy and reduce costs. For links to other articles in the Efficiency Checklists and Topics series, see Additional Resources at the end of this article.

 

Drying Bin

 

Grain Drying Energy

A grain drying system may be the most energy-intensive operation in your cropping system. For some crops, more energy is …

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Tractor and Field Operations Energy Efficiency Checklist and Tips

 

Table of Contents

Introduction

Tractor and Field Operations is part of a series of Efficiency Checklists and Topics that can help you to assess all areas of your farming operation for energy efficiency and find ideas to save energy and reduce costs. For links to other articles in the Efficiency Checklists and Topics series, see Additional Resources at the end of …

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Farm Energy Efficiency Checklist and Tips

Farm energy
Photo: Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension

Efficient use of energy becomes increasingly important with rising energy costs. Energy efficiency is determined by comparing what is actually produced or performed to what could be produced or performed with the same consumption of energy resources.

Although many changes to improve energy efficiency can usually be implemented immediately on a farm, long term efficiency gains come with planning when new or replacement equipment is purchased or new structures are built.

Reducing the …

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Feedstocks for Biofuel Production – Table of Contents

Table of Contents

FACT SHEETS and ARTICLES

Feedstock Plots at Kellogg Biological Station

Feedstock Plots at Kellogg Biological Station. Photo: Dennis Pennington, MSU

WEBINARS

VIDEO

 

FACT SHEETS and ARTICLES

Introductory Articles

Oilseed Crops for Biodiesel Production

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Livestock Buildings Energy Efficiency Checklist and Tips

Livestock Buildings is part of a series of Efficiency Checklists and Topics that can help you to assess all areas of your farming operation for energy efficiency and find ideas to save energy and reduce costs. For links to other articles in the Efficiency Checklists and Topics series, see Additional Resources at the end of this article.

 

Livestock Buildings

Confined livestock structures need ventilation to remove heat and moisture and maintain air quality. The amount of ventilation needed varies depending …

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