Biomass Fuels - Cheap and simple

Another weekend of me tinkering, enjoying some time off, and researching.

I spent the weekend looking for ideas on what to do with the stacks of paper and paper products around the home.  Some comes in via junk mail, more from the Sunday newspaper (Coupons FTW), etc etc.  Even in this paperless world, I generate a whole lot of paper.

So, I was thinking, "Hell, just use this stuff for kindling."  I don't build many fires, and I would have enough kindling to last 40 years if I had a giant fire burning constantly.

So, off to ask The Google, and without fail, The Google Answered:

Paper Briquettes.

There is a charitable foundation out there called "Legacy Foundation" which has been doing a whole lot of research into this, mainly getting inexpensive and reliable methods of manufacturing going into non-industrialized nations.  And, when people think Biomass fuels, they start thinking giant digesters, producing methane and alcohol; or they start thinking giant wood pellet machines.

However, their foot work here has netted us here at home a great process, and knowledge base.  Buying firewood just creates a market for deforestation, not to mention it just doesn't burn very cleanly due to high water content for wood (Even aged wood).

Now, I know, even the most green Progressive out there likes a fire pit, or you're looking for fuel for your wood burning stove.  Using this method, you can compress any plant material into fuel bricks.  Yard clippings, paper, leaves, sawdust, whatever.  If it burns, you can use it.

There's a couple of how to's on how to do this, but for my tinkering, I started small.  I'll let you know that I made one major mistake starting (Actually, a couple).  My first mistake was not pulping my stock, just shredding it.  It could work, but pulping it is much better.  A blender will make quick work after soaking for a few minutes.

The next mistake reared it's head when I switched from shredded paper to pulped paper:  Don't even try using flimsy plastic molds.  I tried with some giant yogurt containers I had.  Don't bother.  Grab a can of crushed pineapples from Aldi's, punch holes in the top with a nail and hammer.  Open the can, enjoy pineapples.  Now, rinse it, flip it over, punch holes in the other end, then cut the top off with a can opener.

Voila!  You have your press!  Albeit, a simple one, but it will work just to play with.  Load it with your pulp, and press it to squeeze out as much water as possible, then extrude the pellet, and leave it to dry.  With our current weather, this could take a couple of weeks.

I'll let you know in the next couple of weeks how they turned out, both the pulped and shredded ones.