There’s even a small chance that particulate from creating char could temporarily re-strengthen the global dimming effect, which might slow global warming.
Too good to be true? It’s hard to say. But with all of these potential benefits, it’s hard not to be hopeful. Especially since, with a little thought and creativity, it seems like much of this could be done on a homestead scale.
Sure it would be hard for a back yard hobbyist to capture, store, and use hydrogen gas. And anything involving fire and smoke would need to be thought through. The ideal situation might be an “appliance” of some sort that could filter pollutants, or even make use of the gases the way Eprida’s prototype apparently does.
Even without such complexities, if the pollution question can be addressed, the potential is huge. Could it be that anyone with the motivation could dramatically improve their soil and sequester carbon in their own back yard? After all, char material can be made using little more than a steel drum with some holes in it. If you are willing to create something only slightly more complex than a drum with a perforated lid, you might even be able to take advantage of that flammable exhaust stream and increase the burn efficiency.
There are plenty of things to do with the heat generated during the charring process. Why not use it to heat your water? Or cook your food? (Ever heard of a pit barbecue?) The heat could be used to warm a greenhouse in winter, or possibly even supplement home heating.
Maybe this was how it all started. We don’t know their motives or methods, but perhaps the ancient inhabitants of the Amazon were just trying to cook their dinners or warm their water, only to stumble on one of Mother Nature’s best kept secrets. Perhaps heavy rains made open fires impractical. Maybe the lack of abundant stone made pit fires the only logical choice. Or was it just that local fish tasted best when slow-cooked?
Whatever the case, it seems they discovered something magical. Five hundred years later, many are starting to believe that this “magic” could be a new hope for resolving both food shortage problems and environmental degradation.
http://henandharvest.com/?p=118