Project
The initiative of the Go Green Cat Project is to exemplify the accessibility and attainability of the process of creating your own heating source and other sustainable ways of living. Our goal is to share the concept of pellet making. All you need is access, ambition and ability. 
Access
Access to a raw material is key in order to be able to supply your demand is vital. There are many if not unlimited sources and combination of potential biomass material. Among them are wood waste, sawdust, paper waste, dried manure, grasses, wheat, straw, and reeds. It is necessary to diligently collect and sort your material properly and encourage others to do so as well. Collecting enough material to heat your home is not impossible, but it may require year round attention depending on your raw material. You can also purchase your materials if access to materials is difficult. It may be a challenge to keep a consistent good quality pellet if the material is inconsistent. Do your research each raw material has a varying heat content or BTU, ash content and corrosion effects.
Ambition
If you have the ambition to actually turn waste materials into clean heat, you already have a drive that most people can’t imagine. The idea of sweating and persevering through a project like this may not be such a natural drive, as it is, a resolution to a life style change. Whether the pellets are used as a secondary heat, or as you sole heating and hot water unit, it’s the drive to help burn a clear more sustainable fuel-One that you made, that you must first have.
Ability
Do you have the physical and cognitive capability to run the pellet mill? Though it does not require extreme exertion, it requires some physical labor. Running any machine, requires some basic mechanic skills. The machine requires regular maintenance and with out the know how or a good machinist some repairs may be over your head. The machine you choose will determine it complexity. Some machines are more operator friendly, but all require respect and skill to run safely and effectively.
There are several areas to consider before purchasing a pellet mill. Below are few questions you should ask before purchasing a mill.
How many pellets you will need?
By determining how large your home is you can determine a proper pellets stove for you home. The stove can be an actual pellet stove, a wood master or a pellet boiler/furnace. Based on your discovery it is safe to say us in
What type of engine?
There is a huge difference here in engine types. An electric machine is equipped with and electric push bottom start, and obviously requires electricity. The diesel is a hand crank and requires no electricity. This machine was very difficult for us to get stated. The engine must be cranked at a speedy rate and was hard on the shoulders. The diesel, though it is quite the process can be modified to become an electric start. But equipping the machine with a toothed flywheel and a starter mounted behind it, the machine can be started off a battery. You may not need the engine at all if you have another source of PTO. Contact us with questions regarding modifications.
Hammer Mill or Not?
If your raw material will not fit through a 4-6mm screen it is most likely too big. Some things are an exception, yet most often the smaller the material the better the pellets. If you material need to be ground down further a Hammer Mill may be necessary. A Hammer Mill allows for the breakdown of most materials you would pelletize.
Where to buy?
There are several companies in the
Makeyourownpellets.com
Pelletpros.com:
Apted
Bhs Energy
Pelletmills.com
Yankee Pellet Mills
BIOMASS - SOME BASIC DATA
Biomass supplies 14% of the worlds energy.
On average, biomass produces 38 % of the primary energy in developing countries (90 % in some countries).
The USA uses 4 % of its total energy from biomass
More than 9000 MW electrical power is installed in facilities firing biomass
Biomass could, sustainably, replace all of the power nuclear plants generate without a major impact on food prices.
Biomass used to produce ethanol could reduce also oil imports up to 50%.
Biomass help mitigate climate change
Reduce acid rain, soil erosion, water pollution and pressure on landfills
Biomass Crops can provide wildlife habitat
Biomass can help maintain forest health through better management
Biomass could provide farmers jobs
* Total mass of living matter (including moisture) - 2000 billion tonnes
* Total mass in land plants - 1800 billion tonnes
* Total mass in forests -1600 billion tonnes
* Per capita terrestrial biomass - 400 tonnes
* Energy stored in terrestrial biomass 25 000 EJ
* Net annual production of terrestrial biomass - 400 000 million tonnes
* Rate of energy storage by land biomass - 3000 EJ/y (95 TW)
* Total consumption of all forms of energy - 400 EJ/y (12 TW)
* Biomass energy consumption - 55 EJ/y ( 1. 7 TW)
http://www.seps.sk/zp/fond/dieret/biomass.htm
Local Resources
Solar Tax Credit Massachusetts
Massachusetts Biomass Potential
Massachusetts Supports Biomass
Massachusetts Solar Project
Biomass Resources
Department of Energy Biomass Program
Biomass for Electricity
Your States Biomass Assesment
Biomass Energy Corps
Biomass Research
USDA Farm Bill
Biomass Crop Assistance
Biomass Magazine & Radio
Dry Biomass
Biomass Confrence
BTU Comparision
Biomass and Carbon
Cornell University
Biomass Rules LLC
Pellet Stoves and Boilers
Harman Stove Company
Massachusetts Dealers
Biomass Commodities
Renewable Heating
Pellets Sales
Pel Heat
Bio Heat USA
Wind
Windsine
Wind 2020
Other Resources
Green Communities
Compare Your Fuel Cost
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