Green Power House in Montana

Yes, I did watch "The Need to Grow".  I was utterly fascinated by Mike Smith's "Green Power House" and wondered if

a) anyone knew how it actually worked - I mean beyond high level explanation

b) if we permies could build something like it on our own properties/communities at the same or even smaller scale.

His website doesn't seem to be very well developed yet, and I'm hoping that at some point he might make his plans available for others to build.  But do we have enough collective understanding to figure out something similar?  Could a kind of mash-up be made between his design and say, the Solviva greenhouse?

Can we think about collaborating on an open source design or designs to see if we can create something similar on a neighbourhood or village scale?

I happen to have a large (for my area) farm.  It would be amazing to be able to supply soil fertility to my farm gardens and power to the various farm buildings and workshops all in one.  Even better if I could supply my neighbourhood.

Thanks heaps!

Images and links of this Green Power House would be helpful.

Youtube?

Video here:

There was an article or two in The Missoulian, but they were behind a paywall.  Found this one that might interest folks:

Greenhouse Packs a Power Punch

And another from The Union here

An Organic Approach to Power...

If you look up Michael Smith, Green Power House, AACT, Algae Aqua Culture Technology, or Regenitech, those should turn up some results that pique your curiosity.

Yes you can put things like manure and algae into a anaerobic bio digester (essentially anaerobic composting), and this will produce a biogas that is about 50-50 methane and carbon dioxide.  Not sure how economical it is on a small scale. Ordinary (aerobic) composting is simpler and also produces heat, albeit at a lower temperature.

Woody (lignocellulose) biomass can be gasified and can similarly be used like a low-grade natural gas for cooking or even to run an engine if it goes through multiple filters first, but again it’s rather dirty and labor-intensive for what you get so maybe not too practical on a small scale (unless you’re really into it as a hobby).  

Honestly, solar cells, while not as organically natural, are much more energy efficient and low labor and can last say 20-50 years.

I have to admit I’m intrigued by the idea of using solar electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen. Supposedly if hydrogen is pumped into an anaerobic biodigester, the microbes will convert the H2 and CO2 into methane (CH4).  In theory this would essentially make a pipeline quality gas. (>90% methane).  Biogas doesn’t contain tar-gas like woodgas does, so it’s probably much easier to fuel a generator on it. There are conversion kits for running a genset on natural gas.

Not sure if there’s a wind resource in Missoula, but like solar this is a somewhat mainstream (accessible) technology.

I even think a thermoelectric peltier device could find application. They are used offgrid in Europe. While only 5% efficient at converting heat to electricity, it’s not really a loss (in a combined heat and power system) since that heat is being used for some other purpose anyway, like cooking, space heating, or domestic hot water.  The main advantage I think is it’s potential for being low labor, low maintenance, affordable and long-lasting, all due to it being a solid-state semiconductor very much like a solar cell.  

He wants to regenerate the soil on his farm

I have heard a few references to Peltier power generators being using off grid in Europe.  Can any give a link to how to make one of these or where to buy one?