New Biomass Boiler

We have designed a new hot water boiler we call the Buzzard because it will "eat" anything.  It burns a wide range of renewable biomass fuels with no pollution.  The Buzzard releases us from the dependence on fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) for energy. Therefore our products are not subject to price increases resulting from increases in the price of oil, gas and coal which are rising due to shortages, and taxes on carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.

The Buzzard heats hot water which is used mainly to: 1) heat greenhouses in cold weather by pumping hot water through pipes embedded in the floor; hydronic heating, 2) supply hot processing water, 3) run a turbine to generate electricity, 4) run electric equipment to purify  irrigation water from “grey” or ocean water.

The Buzzard can burn a variety of cheap, renewable biomass fuels (sawdust, agricultural waste, wood chips, and sorted municipal garbage, shingles, tires, carpets, manures) at high temperatures with zero pollution. Millions of tons are available. The fuels are first shredded, then compressed into dense bales (50-75 kg / 110 – 165 lbs) at the source of the fuel.  In some cases such as sawdust and manures, the fuels are sealed in a bag.  The bales are then trucked to the incinerator which in most cases would be located far from the source.  These fuel options enable SA to use the available fuels in locations of opportunity, and therefore control costs.  The burning of municipal waste to run all phases of a greenhouse will be an SA first – “food from waste fuels”.  There are big opportunities to use garbage as a source of fuel for hot water. Hot water can be piped for ½ mile.

Electric surpluses can be exported to the community.

These fuel options enable SA to control the cost of energy, and use the available fuels in project locations of opportunity. This translates into lower operating costs and therefore lower production costs.

Biomass combustion is considered C02 neutral and not a producer of greenhouse gas. We are able to trade carbon credits. Each range eliminates 1,252 tons of C02 from entering the atmosphere each year from the growing of crops, and 44,000 tons / mW of electricity produced from the burning of biomass fuels. These income sources can be substantial at $15/ton but are not factored in our Income Statements.

Solar hot water collectors are the second method for heating water in hot locations. A third method is geothermal but the uncertainties of the source and land ownership make this a gamble in most areas.

Heating
To heat the greenhouses, water is heated in the biomass boiler, and then pumped to pipes under the floors of the greenhouses. This is hydronic heating. Using heat from the Buzzard to heat greenhouses has released SA from the dependence on fossil fuels. Our products are not subject to price increases due to higher heating costs from price increases in oil and gas. Low heating costs in the winter control costs.

Electricity 
We  have assisted in the design and development of a turbine that is powered by hot water. The turbine spins a generator that delivers electricity. We have 2 basic Buzzard models, the B125 (125 kW), and the B250 (250 kW) which have 125 kW and 250 kW turbines attached.  Each B125 will  power 2 ranges.  Users of electricity are pumps, fans, and processing equipment. Cheap electricity keeps costs low.

This is proprietary technology. We are able to sell energy packages consisting of the Buzzard to customers wanting to generate their own electricity. This setup is ideal for towns and settlements who want cheap electrical power from renewable fuels – not from coal and big power companies.

Cooling
Cooling a greenhouse in hot weather is as important as heating in cold weather. Electricity from the generator powers pumps and fans for cooling. Therefore cooling costs are kept low.

Site Independence
Since we can generate our own electricity, we are off the grid and can select project sites almost at will. For example, in rural, or island areas where grid electricity is absent. This opens up markets and income opportunities. It is a fantastic advantage.

OTHER ENERGY MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

In our efforts to reduce the energy costs of heating and electricity for our own greenhouses, we realized  we can produce energy in the form of hot water for heating and electricity for sale.  Energy could be sold to utility companies and to a variety of customers such as farms, subdivisions, and even municipalities. 

A Saladacres biomass boiler would:
a) Produce the power and heat to operate the greenhouses 
b) Sell electricity to utilities on the grid
 
Sources of biomass:
a) Tree service and land clearing companies that deal with the disposal of large amounts of bio mass
b) Municipal, county, and institutional organizations that deal with the disposal of garbage, construction waste, and all types of bio mass.
c) Manures from chicken, hog, feedlots, and dairy farms

Hot water can also be produced in areas of high sunlight with the use of hot water solar panels, or from geothermal sources.