Free Screening of the Documentary - "The Need to Grow" is open again

Didn't know where to post this.

Biochar and Algae  Biodigester Plant - AACT

Microfarm on an acre

First non gmo girl scout cookies due to a young girls' efforts

Lots of good people doing good things

https://grow.foodrevolution.org/screening/

Blessings .  . .

Watched the film, a very interesting concept.   I didn't catch what was being used to feed the algae in the biodigester.  Does anyone know?

I too found the film interesting. And... of course tried to reverse engineer the ideas.

I assume the wood chips / mass in the water provides the nitrates for the algae, and at one point they mention running co2 emission from an industrial source into the water for the necessary carbon.

I am also interested in the process of algal biochar and quick search of permies.com did not turn up any hits on "algal biochar" or "algae biochar".

Anyway, very interesting concept. The methane harvesting was kind of awesome.  

For those that missed the free screening, here is some of what it was about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuGGBLuF7yY
https://www.youtube.com/user/algaeaqua/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp0f4zP67Lw_mONU_sCs9CA

And, this talk is not directly related, but the science crossover is useful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA4prxE8CVs

Sy Moen wrote:I too found the film interesting. And... of course tried to reverse engineer the ideas.

I assume the wood chips / mass in the water provides the nitrates for the algae, and at one point they mention running co2 emission from an industrial source into the water for the necessary carbon.

I am also interested in the process of algal biochar and quick search of permies.com did not turn up any hits on "algal biochar" or "algae biochar".

Anyway, very interesting concept. The methane harvesting was kind of awesome.  

If I understood it right the nitrates for the algae were coming from aquaponics.  The heat and the CO2 were coming off the burner burning biomatter.  Now it may be that all the biomatter was going into a methane digester and this would leave the out flow from that producing the nitrogen too along with nutrients for a huge green house. The burn was heating a pyrolisis unit to make biochar and in the process providing part of the fuel to run this part.  And you could leach the ash from the direct burn, burner for other micro nutrients if needed.

C. Letellier wrote:

If I understood it right the nitrates for the algae were coming from aquaponics.  The heat and the CO2 were coming off the burner burning biomatter.  Now it may be that all the biomatter was going into a methane digester and this would leave the out flow from that producing the nitrogen too along with nutrients for a huge green house. The burn was heating a pyrolisis unit to make biochar and in the process providing part of the fuel to run this part.  And you could leach the ash from the direct burn, burner for other micro nutrients if needed.

Hmmm. thanks for the input. I need to think some more...

im partway through.  seems like it starts with waste wood--which can turn into a problem (live trees getting used instead of actual waste), so it's only carbon negative if it's really rescuing wood from landfill where it would be breaking down anaerobically.

the resulting root stimulating fertilizer part seems most interesting, hoping they'll go into more detail.

it's a decent micro electricity plant, i guess, but i dont know the embodied energy cost o the burner component.

They've re-opened the film for screening at the same link: https://grow.foodrevolution.org/screening/

If you watch it and love it, you can buy lifetime digital access for $7, and now they have put together a big package of digital video content, including the full interviews with all the people in the movie, and some video courses on things like composting, gardening, and feeding your gut microbiome (that's Dr. Zach Bush) and you can get that for $67.  It's all on the above page, just scroll down past the Vimeo window to see.

My understanding is that the green power house is located at a lumber mill, and is being fed the off-cuts, which are a waste stream of a lumber mill.  It seems like there should be one of these at every current lumber mill, to mitigate the waste.  What I found interesting was that the soil amendment, which was made from what was left over after making biodiesel from the algae, plus biochar? was super loved by Erik Cutter's plants.  

It's systems feeding systems feeding systems, but in a more industrial context, not a horticultural or agricultural context.  (I asked Paul about it at the staff meeting this morning, but he's not really interested in industrial solutions.)

I'm not sure what the mechanisms really are in the green power house but I do like the idea of using the waste carbon from fires for supporting plant growth.  For the "truly passive greenhouse" project this could be a great add-on.  You don't need to do it to keep it warm enough for the plants to survive, but it would just give them some extra carbon.

I couldn't quite understand it from first glance, but I think the goal with the backyard-sized model the engineer is working on now is all about optimizing algae growth by changing the chemistry and parts of the light spectrum.  You might be able to get the same effect with passive means.  

Can anyone explain what the home unit does and how it works?

Where did you hear about a backyard sized model?

It's on his facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000335107605 .  There may be something on regenitech.com too.  It's the neon-purple-lit picture.

Ah.  Well, I'm boycotting Facebook, so I guess I'll miss it.  I've got too much on my plate anyway.

Julia Winter wrote:Ah.  Well, I'm boycotting Facebook, so I guess I'll miss it.  I've got too much on my plate anyway.

I hear you.  

Here's my attempt to describe: there was a box with some purple lights in it, and graphs of CO2 levels and some other levels going up and down, which I couldn't follow.  The box was about 2' cube.  It had a solar panel on top, a small one, and I think they said implied would generate more electricity than the panel and would operate a night light ot extend the growing day.  It yields oil, methane (made to electricity?), and humic acid, I think...I couldn't tell for sure though.  

The website has some info--regenitech.com is the current website.

I wish he and Paul would talk and maybe learn from each other.  They both have a software background and both live in Montana.