Academics & Research “Being part of a team working to develop an affordable product that can produce clean renewable energy as well as strengthen local food systems was a highlight of my graduate studies at Appalachian. I would like to thank all of our team members, the EPA, the university, and the Department of Technology for the help and support.” - Mike Uchal ‘10, a Technology graduate now teaching as adjunct faculty in the Department of Technology
“Appalachian has been involved with biofuels and alternative energy for many years. The latest entry into the group is wood gas. This is a sustainable opportunity for Appalachian to convert wood waste and fuel crops to enriched soil and clean energy.” - Dr. David Domermuth, faculty advisor for the EPA P3 Phase II winning project “Biomass Gasification for Agricultural Energy Sources and Soil Enrichment“
find out more at sustain.appstate.edu
CHAMPION: Dr. David Domermuth
In spring 2010, students from the Department of Technology received a twoyear $75,000 EPA P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) Award to continue work on a project to convert biomass into a usable by-product that can produce fuel to warm greenhouses. The students’ project is titled, “Biomass Gasification for Agricultural Energy Sources and Soil Enrichment.” The award will support their work to further develop and implement their project design and move it to the marketplace. “We were very excited and honored to receive the award,” said Michael Uchal, who was a lead investigator for the project while a graduate student. Working with local community partner Bucky Black of Resource Wood Inc., and California manufacturer All Power Labs, the students are developing an affordable combined heat, power and biochar system that uses agricultural byproducts, such as woodchips, to produce electricity. Farmers using the system could connect to the power grid, thereby providing an additional revenue stream from the production of electricity. The farmer could also recover the heat generated by the system and use it to create an efficient growing environment within a greenhouse. The system also produces biochar, a soil amendment which functions like an organic battery to store nutrients that otherwise leach out of the soil.
CHAMPION: Mike Uchal
Biomass Gasification for Agricultural Energy Sources and Soil Enrichment
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